Selling your home in the winter comes with some pros and cons. The good news is that you won’t have much competition since there are usually fewer homes on the market during this time of year. On the other hand, you may need to work hard to convince homebuyers that your house is worth checking out now, since many people try to wait until after the holidays to buy a home.
These tips may be just what you need to impress Scottsdale homebuyers this holiday season.
1. Keep your property sparkling clean
One of the best things about living in Scottsdale is that you don’t have to deal with snow, which means you don’t have to worry about keeping your driveway shoveled. But you still have to make sure the exterior of your property is clean, and that can be difficult if you have trees or bushes that drop their leaves in the fall and winter. So before homebuyers show up at your Scottsdale home, make sure your driveway and walkways are free of leaves, mud, or debris.
It can also be hard to keep the house clean around the holidays. After all, you probably just pulled a bunch of boxes of Christmas lights and other decorations from storage, causing some clutter in your home. If you’ve been ordering presents online, the cardboard boxes have probably been piling up, and the pine needles from that real Christmas tree may be taking over your floor. But if you want a chance of selling your Scottsdale home in the winter, you need to keep it clean and ready for buyers to view. If you’re having trouble keeping up, consider hiring a housekeeper to help, at least until after the holidays when your home may already be sold.
2. Heat up your home
Many Scottsdale residents simply bundle up at home in order to avoid turning on the heater, but this tactic might not appeal to homebuyers checking out your house when it’s cooler outside. If you want to sell your Scottsdale home in the winter, it’s best to turn on your heater before buyers enter your house. This way, you’ll give them the warm welcome they want from their potential new home.
If it’s not super cold out and you don’t think using the heater is necessary, at least consider turning on the oven and making some Christmas cookies. This can warm up your kitchen and get you in a festive mood, as well as leave a wonderful scent in the house before a showing. Lighting a fire in the fireplace is another idea that may help sell your Scottsdale home in the winter.
3. Decorate your house with buyers in mind
If you’re not sure how to decorate a house that you’re trying to sell, go by the same rules of decorating during the rest of the year. This means you should stick to neutral themes, and try to keep the personalized décor to a minimum so buyers can envision themselves living there. You can still put up some lights on the outside of the house, complemented by a classic wreath. But maybe think twice about putting up the Frosty and Santa inflatables this year!
On the inside of the house, keep the holiday décor classy and understated. You can hang up some red or green towels in the kitchen and bathrooms, and set out some candles, lightly scented pinecones, or other traditional holiday décor on the table. This way, your house will seem festive without looking cluttered.
Of course, the best advice to sell your Scottsdale home in the winter will come from your real estate agent. Contact The Matheson Team today to find out more about buying or selling in Scottsdale.
Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team – RE/MAX Fine Properties
21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-360-0281
don@scottsdalerealestate.com
