Surrey Estate Agents

We all know that it is easy to prepare a home for selling in the Spring/Summer months, but when Winter comes around, it takes a little more thought to make sure your home is fully prepared for viewings.

The winter period, especially over Christmas is traditionally a quieter time for the property market, but this does mean that your home will have less competition from other sellers and by putting in a little effort you can make your home look really great this time of year.

Here are our top 7 tips for preparing your home to sell this winter:

1. Warm Your Home

If you are having viewings in the winter, think "warm and cozy" – make sure you’ve got the heating up to a good temperature, comfortable buyers will want to stay longer.  Fireplaces and/or wood burning stoves should be lit to give the house some ambience and atmosphere.

2. Take Advantage Of Natural Light

Make the most of the daylight entering the home, so have your windows cleaned before selling and make sure all the curtains and blinds are open.  You should encourage viewings during daylight hours to maximise the effect from natural light – but no matter if it is light or dark outside, in the winter sellers should turn on all the lights inside, again adding to the atmosphere and making the home look bright and airy.   

3. Turn Winter Into A Positive

Perhaps your home is close enough to walk into town to make Christmas shopping easy without the traffic?  Are there good sledging spots nearby for the children, or are the roads nearby the first to be cleared when it snows?  Is there a good view that only appears in the winter - obscured by tree leaves in the summer?  Anything like this is good information that can add to the appeal of your home.  You need to highlight these selling points to potential buyers.

4. Winter Photography

Have your agent regularly updating your property’s photography.  This is a good way to keep your property fresh on the market.  Maybe you’ve noticed your property looks great at night with all the lights on, or how fantastic it looks in the snow.  Tell your agent your ideas and if you like,  to take your own photos and give them to your agent.

5. Make It Festive

First impressions are everything, so don’t go 'overboard' with Christmas lights even if you love them.  A classy wreath on the door and a few mince pies laid out inside will help potential buyers imagine themselves living in your property.

6. Muddy Feet

It’s a good idea to ask buyers to remove their shoes before viewing the house.  This will protect your flooring from muddy footprints.  As a buyer, if you are visiting homes in the winter, we recommend you wear shoes that are easy to slip off once inside, rather than big winter boots.

7. Snow & Ice

The last couple of winters have been particularly bad for snow and ice.  If it snows make sure buyers can get to your property easily and safely.  If they slip and hurt themselves getting to you, it will detract from their viewing experience.  Try to clear and grit the paths leading to your home.

Talk to your local Curchods office for more tips about moving home and to find out how we will successfully go about selling your property.