Imagination may be needed to sell your houses in winter

Spring is generally recognised as the best time to sell houses. But not everyone can wait until then. Life is usually a little bit more complicated than that. So now the nights have drawn in here are some thoughts about selling in the coming winter season which will help you get the best results.
With gardens in hibernation and many people having to view houses and flats after dark, it takes a little bit more imagination to make your property stand out from all the others on the market.
To get things off to a good start, you want potential buyers turning up in a good mood - not fed up, frustrated and late. Have you ever tried to find house numbers - or even worse, house names - in the dark? It’s not always easy, so make sure your number or name stands out and can be seen easily from a moving vehicle. It is also a very good idea to have a For Sale board outside, as this will make your property much easier to identify.
Once inside, the lighting and warmth are very important. Rooms should look and feel cosy and welcoming. So use subdued lights, and if you have an open fire then do light it. It will help to give the feeling of hearth and home.
Of course there are some points that apply to selling property in any season, things like making the interior look as uncluttered and spacious as possible. Clearly buyers will like the look of a clean and tidy house more than something resembling the local church jumble sale, and equally importantly buyers will usually follow their noses. The smell of baking bread or freshly made coffee is considerably more appetising than the pungent odour of stale fags or damp labrador.
Also, the asking price must make your property look more as if it is a Christmas present for the buyer, rather than for you, the seller. The market may well be improving, but buyers are not silly – and neither are surveyors and building society valuers. Pricing the property accurately is the very best way to get a quick sale. Pricing it too high is the best way to not selling it at all.
No property looks quite as good on a dark November afternoon as it will when the sun is shining and the garden is blossoming with the fresh colours of spring and early summer. But with a little thought and some careful preparation your property can be the one that stands out from the crowd and presents you with a buyer for Christmas.

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