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Four Tips for Selling Your Trinidad Home in the Winter

Summer has come and gone, fall is nearly over, winter is just around the corner and your home still is still on the real estate market. Before you panic and immediately consider removing the listing, take a deep breath and consider a few tips that may increase your chances of selling your home in this off-peak time.

Shovel. It's a nasty word, the act hated by everyone over the age of eight, but it's a necessary evil to keep your potential buyers safe and increase the curb appeal of your home. Snow-covered trees are pretty, but snow-covered sidewalks are not and can be dangerous. Sprinkle a layer of sand or salt on the pavement to provide ice-free sidewalks and always clear an opening from the street to the sidewalk, or your potential buyers will be forced to climb Mount Snowdrift to get to your front door.

The days may feel dreary but take extra steps to make sure your house does not. Open the curtains, raise the blinds and open the shutters; let as much natural light in as possible. Turn all the lights in the house on, including those in closets and under cabinets in preparation for a showing.

While you may be trying to save on energy costs, now is not the time to turn down the heat. Warm houses feel cozy and like a home, so turn the thermostat up a couple of degrees higher than normal then after it warms up, turn it back down to normal. This will keep the furnace from coming on when potential homebuyers are in the house, which could lead to a problem if the system is louder than anticipated.

Do not try to make your home smell like a summer flower garden, a fruit basket or anything else. Air fresheners contain many ingredients that may cause allergic reactions. Many people suffer from allergies and nothing will make a potential homebuyer turn the other direction and run than a sneezing fit. Suspicious buyers may think you are trying to cover-up an odor, such as pet urine, and may be turned away.

For additional tips and ideas on how to sell your Chevy Chase, Capitol Hill, Trinidad and Northwest Washington DC home, contact Michelle Buckman.