7 Top Tips for Property Selling in the Winter

Well so far the Vale of the White Horse has avoided the so called ‘weather bomb’ that promised a good blast of snow.  Sorry kids, no sledging down The Folly...yet!

However, with these colder, darker and shorter days, we thought we’d come up with a few pointers to help you show off your property in the best light possible. 

1. Spruce up the Front.  We all understand the importance of a good first impression.  Keeping drives and paths clear of leaves, ice and snow helps appearances and gets people to the front door safely.  If you have outside lighting then make sure they’re working and switched on.  Applying a quick coat of paint to the front door also adds to that all important first impression.
2. Guttering.  Those leaves and that moss have got to go and grow somewhere so make sure your guttering is clear.  If someone is viewing on a rainy day, we don’t want the sound of that over flowing gutter putting them off.
3. Christmas has Past.  Even if you don’t have children, there always seems to be a huge amount of extra rubbish and recycling so make sure that’s not being blown across the garden or cluttering up the inside.  Make sure there aren’t any stray decorations or bits of tinsel floating around.
4. Draft Exclude.  Certainly if you have an older property, make sure you’re free of drafty windows and doors that can  both create a rattle and let in the cold.
5. Think Lighting.  The mood and feel of any property can be enhanced with the subtle use of lighting.  Warm lighting on a cold day can transform a room.  A good tip is to consider a table lamp in the kitchen instead of the typical harsher ceiling lights.
6. Seasonal Curtains.  This may sound extreme but consider having different curtains through out the year.  Darker and heavier enhance the warmth of a property in winter and the ripple and movement of lighter ones in summer purvey coolness and comfort.
7. Mats & Carpets.  Have both an outdoor mat to wipe feet on and then a mat inside should viewers want to take of their shoes and consider that you may need to accommodate coats, hats and scarfs.  Consider having carpets that take a lot of foot traffic professionally cleaned and treated. 

These colder months can still be an ideal time to find a buyer.  If somebody has braved the elements to view, then let’s make them feel as welcome as possible