6 Tips for Staging a Home in the Winter

6 Tips for Staging a Home in the Winter

February 26, 2019
Even during this current stretch of wintertime cold that's harshly hitting all parts of the country, real estate professionals can do a lot to make a property more appealing to potential buyers. After all, 50 percent of real estate professionals surveyed say that staging a home before a sale increases the amount of an offer by from 1 to 10 percent—and that was regardless of the season, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ “2017 Profile of Home Staging” report.
Here are a few tips for winter staging:
1. Turn up the heat. Make sure the temperature inside is cozy for enticing buyers to stay in the home longer.
2. Watch the smell. When a home is closed up for the winter and smells start to linger, it’s important to create scent appeal. Consider simmering cinnamon for a warming, pleasant aroma to increase a home’s attractiveness during colder months. Avoid air fresheners or other artificial scents that could make buyers suspicious, cautions an article from The Washington Post. 
3. Don’t forget curb appeal. The grass may not be green and flowers may not be in full bloom, but that doesn’t mean an exterior should be neglected. Ensure leaves are swept away and branches are well trimmed, and look for ways to add color, such as an evergreen shrub in a pot. Also, tall grasses, like fountain grasses, tend to survive even in the harshest winters, and plants from the cabbage family can add a vibrant purple color to the curb.
4. Keep clear paths. If the ground is covered in snow, the simplest and most important thing you can do is shovel the driveway and sidewalks and keep the home’s patios and decks as clear as possible so buyers can get a sense of their true size.
5. Have mats for wet shoes. Place mats outside and inside to catch any dirt or snow from shoes.
6. Use lots of light. There’s less daylight in the winter months, so it’s even more important to keep all the lights on and open up blinds for natural light. Switch to brighter lightbulbs. Clean light fixtures. Keep the home well lit even when you’re not there so the home still looks inviting to passersby who see the home in the evenings.
Source: 
“Tips to Help Sell Your Home in the Winter,” The Washington Post (Feb. 18, 2019)

Popular posts from this blog

What Buyers Should Ask After a Home Inspection

What Buyers Should Ask After a Home Inspection October 9, 2018 You are here Home News and Commentary Daily News What Buyers Should Ask After a Home Inspection Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Print October 9, 2018 After an inspector has finished a home report, buyers may feel overwhelmed by any flaws that might have been found. That’s why it’s important they take the opportunity to learn more so that they can move forward confidently in the transaction. A recent article at realtor.com® recommends home buyers ask their inspector clarifying questions like: “I don’t understand this; what does it mean?” or “Is this a major or minor problem?” and “Do I need to call in another expert for a follow-up?” Home inspectors are bound to uncover something in a home; no home is perfect. But the majority of the problems they uncover will likely be minor. Have the home inspector clarify which problems fall within the “minor” or “major” categories. Keep in mind: “The inspector can't tel
Read more

2019 Economic Outlook: Residential Growth of a Quiet Sort

Image
2019 Economic Outlook: Residential Growth of a Quiet Sort In most areas, sales and price appreciation will remain steady. January - February   2019   by   Robert Freedman SharJanuary - Februaryby   Robert Freedman Source: NAR Research Despite rising interest rates and weakening buyer enthusiasm, continuing economic gains mean 2019 will look much like 2018 regarding the strength of the residential market, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun predicts. “It’s going to be more of the same, in terms of growth,” he says. A wild card is the growing threat of recession fueled by a trade war with China and other countries, but it’s too soon to see how that plays out. “Stock market volatility caused by talk over a trade war is not good,” Yun says. “But economic fundamentals remain strong and should stay that way if normal trade patterns continue.” Home sales, combined existing and new, are expected to increase a little less than 1 percent, f
Read more

Housing Slowdown Doesn’t Scare First-Time Buyers

Housing Slowdown Doesn’t Scare First-Time Buyers March 4, 2019 Despite recent declines in home sales, sluggish growth in single-family home construction, and mounting affordability concerns, first-time buyers are outperforming other segments of the market, according to a new report released by Genworth Mortgage Insurance. “The first-time home buyer market has been more resilient during the [housing] slowdown compared to repeat buyers,” writes Tian Liu, chief economist at Genworth Mortgage Insurance. About 482,000 first-time buyers purchased homes in the fourth quarter of 2018. Though that’s 3 percent lower than a year ago, it bests the 7 percent year-over-year decline in repeat buyer activity, according to the report. “This is a reminder that first-time home buyers differ from other buyer groups in terms of why they buy,” Liu notes. “Their purchase decisions are more likely driven by the fact that many are starting families and reaching peak homebuying ages. Even
Read more