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Written by Don Martin.   You can follow all of Don Martin’s work HERE and/or a less frequent newsletter HERE. Please share these thoughts about your winter sales with your buds using the above buttons. Thanks!  (Do you deserve the new GOLD LEVEL SERVICE for your MLS listing?  Make it easy on yourself!)

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Five Things to Remember about Winter

1. There is less competition.
2. There is less competition.
3. There is less competition.
4. You are competing with fewer other houses-for-sale.
5. People still get transferred into your area, outgrow houses, start new jobs, relocate to and within your area for numbers of reasons that don’t stop because the weather is cold.

 

Ten Things to Help Sell in the Dead of Winter

 

 1 You should probably expect fewer showings.  Even if the weather is not bad.  There are just fewer people out in the open.  Remember it only takes one buyer,  but sometimes you have to show the house to several prospects before you get the right buyer.

 2 Always try to have extra availability and flexibility to show your house.  Buyers want to see a house when they want to see it.  In the winter there are games and school activities, so be coming up with some “Plan B”s if you need them.  Make an arrangement with a neighbor, if you can.

 3 Don’t expect a bidding war.  There may be times of the year and areas pf the country where a properly priced house can bring the asking price if not a bit more very quickly.  This may not be that time or place.

 4  Don’t forget curb appeal!  Even though it’s brown looking outside, don’t forget to rake leaves and straighten up your landscaping.  You want it to look ready-to-go when the spring starts to bloom, rather than a project waiting to be done.  And remember, to an interested eye, attractive is always attractive, even if the temperature is below freezing.

 5 In your foyer, entry, or by your front door make sure there are plenty of carpets to wipe feet on when there are showings.

 6 More light always helps in the winter.   Open the drapes and turn on every light prior to a showing.  Make it just as bright as you possibly can.  Dark corners always make rooms look smaller and colder.

 7  Display spring and summer photographs.  Whether you display your photographs all together on a table, or you’re using these photographs sprinkled in with your other listing photographs. 

 8 Try not to have too much holiday decor.  Huge Christmas trees will dwarf the room they’re in and some religious objects can offend some people. Moderation is best at this time.

 9 Highlight fireplaces and seasonal items.  Throw an occasional comforter on the couch or chair.

 10 Be prepared even to pull your house off the market from Thanksgiving until after the first of the year.  There’s no shame in that.  You have stuff to do.  Maybe the new year will bring fresh eyes for all. 

 

(Update, January 18, 2020) – Incidentally, I did also run across a couple of goal-setting books here and here that may help our outlooks in this project. I think they will  knock your socks off.

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