Many people believe that winter is not the best time to sell a property. However, even though there are fewer potential buyers out and about during the cold weather, those who do venture out are serious buyers.
This means that you need to focus on making your home nice and cosy to encourage those potential buyers to stay a little longer and have a really good look around. The warmer your house feels, the more inviting it’s going to be and you might be surprised with a faster sale.
Keep the draughts out
Simple things like ensuring that your home is draught free can make all the difference if you plan to sell in winter. Here are some tips to consider.
- Use draught stoppers on all your external doors.
- Consider adding sealing strips around your windows. This is especially important if you have older windows. In fact, just a 2 mm gap can let a lot of cold air in. Sealing strips are easy to install and you’ll be amazed at the difference that they make.
- Close doors to the areas in your home that you don’t use all the time. This ensures that the heat stays in the rooms that you occupy most of the time.
- Make sure that your heaters are dust free. If they’re covered in dust, they won’t work as effectively and your power bill will go up. This is especially true for reverse cycle air conditioners and heating ducts. In fact, it’s a good time to get your heating serviced before the cold weather arrives.
Cosy up your décor with warm colours and fabrics
Another way to make your home feel nice and cosy is to swap out your crisp summer fabrics and colours for warmer ones. Think of fabrics like velvet, wool and faux fur. Warmer colours include mustard, cinnamon, and olive green. Here are some tips you might want to consider.
- Invest in some comfy throws for your couch and armchairs. Drape these loosely to add style to your lounge room.
- Consider going to Ikea and buying a soft sheepskin rug to throw over your favourite armchair.
- Change the covers on your throw cushions with warmer fabrics such as faux fur or velvet. Make sure you stick to the three-colour scheme so your room looks cohesive and pulled together.
- Buy a lovely plush throw rug to put across the end of your bed. This adds to the feeling of warmth and is an extra layer to keep you cosy and warm at night.
- Don’t forget to add some cosy rugs to cover your floor boards or tiles. You could even consider adding a smaller rug in the kitchen near the sink and primary work areas. Do the same in the bathroom near the basin. For practicality, think about thick bath mats that work really well for this.
Use warmer lighting
Another trick to making your home feel nice and warm is to change the bulbs in your lamps for warm LED bulbs. These will cast an attractive warm glow across the rooms in your home and give potential buyers the feeling of comfort and warmth.
You could even group some candles together on the coffee or dining table and make sure these are lit during home inspections. While we love a scented candle, it’s best to avoid lighting them on your open-for-inspection days as some people have adverse reactions to scents. However, go to town when you’re home on your own. Choose soft fragrances such as sandalwood, vanilla and cinnamon. These will add to the illusion of warmth around your home.
Turn on the heat on cooler open days
Just as you’d want potential buyers to enjoy a cool home in summer, in winter, you want them to be embraced by warmth. So turn on the lights and the heating for open days so people can appreciate how comfortable your home is and give it more consideration.
Let us guide you with great ideas for selling your home in winter
If you’re planning to sell your home during the winter months, we can provide you with many more ideas to make it feel warm and inviting. So, don’t hesitate to give the JDH team a call.
