I’m sure there will be some who will not agree but do not have the prospective buyers come in the side door or through the tool-encrusted garage. This is a pet peeve of mine. I know it’s convenient during wet or winter weather, but unless the inside of your garage or your back hall looks like the magazine cover of “House Beautiful”, don’t make that your main entrance or your first impression at any time of the year. Would you walk into your most important job interview with your comfy slippers, sweats, and a t-shirt on?  Of course not. And neither should your house.  

 Besides, why would any buyer want to start their “new house dreams” off with thoughts of yard work, snow removal or cleaning out the garage? The garage should be neat, organized, and able to hold cars when they do get around to looking at it however. And the garage door should always be closed when prospective buyers and their agents arrive. 

Have a spare entry mat or rug that is only for showings, always clean, and vacuumed and put away after the buyers have left, ready for the next  “Can I show your house in a half an hour?” call. Or have two that you can rotate. 

The next consideration is wet boot, shoe, scarf, and glove control. Make sure the coat closet is cleared out enough to handle the extra bulk and number of garments that winter requires without looking over stuffed. Use another closet for overflow. Or an attractive trunk or storage box that can serve as a seat or table may help. Yes we all have to wear the stuff. You just don’t want them to overtake the entryway during a showing. Every positive impression counts. 

 Along that note—keep those indoor odors under control. We get too immune to our own indoor smells. It may smell like home to us but not to the buyers. With homes being more closed up and less fresh air coming into the house, that can get out of hand.  If you must, walk outside, take in a few breaths of fresh air through your nose and then walk back in or ask a friend or neighbor to come over and test the air for you. Open a window to air things out as necessary and before showings. Stay away from strong floral and spicy scents in fresheners or candles. Neutral fresh scents are best. Using really heavy cleaners or bleach makes the potential buyer wonder why and start looking for reasons. 

The RWB Connection.   That’s Roof, Window, and Basement—the old triad of trouble.  If you’re selling in winter, these do need to be in good condition.

Chances are the buyer will like being able to verify that these are in good order and won’t be a future problem. That’s a bonus for any homeowner!  

Your roof needs to be in good shape with no leaks.  And fix any telltale interior water damage stains from old leaks. Telling a buyer that the ’leak is fixed’ but you just haven’t taken the time to fix the interior damage doesn’t really satisfy them. They won’t be satisfied until the inspection, and by that time they have already subtracted money from the asking price for that possible damage. 

 A Clear and Pleasant View

Your windows, window trim and molding need to be in tiptop condition. This is true at any time of the year, but particularly important in winter. Sweaty, moldy, moisture damaged windowsills and jambs are a definite turnoff to buyers. If you haven’t taken care of them because it’s too much work what makes you think the buyer will want to do it on a house he or she has just purchased? And if they do consider doing it, it will cost you more than you think in their offering price.

Windows are one of those maintenance gauges for buyers –if they’re taken care of, then the rest of the house probably has been maintained as well. 

You also need to make sure that all window treatments are open and that the glass is clean to let in as much light as possible. In those light-starved shorter days, this is even more critical. I know it’s customary to have heavier window coverings during the colder months, but this is one of those selling sacrifices that need to be made. Just pull them back and open the view for showings and open houses.  

Your basement should be clean, dry, and free of excess moisture and odors. A dehumidifier can help keep it that way.  If it means scrubbing, scraping, coating and painting neglected areas, then ‘just do it’ as they say. Gutters and downspouts that are clean and functioning can go a long way to keeping water in its place and away from the foundation and your basement..

So, have you passed the test on the big three?  Your roof, windows and basement are all in great shape? Then that’s your biggest advantage to selling in the winter.   You can sell in the winter! You don’t choose to take your house off the market because it’s inconvenient or because you have some nagging problems with the house.  And buyers see that as a very good thing. They know you are serious about selling, and if they’re looking in the middle of winter, you know they‘re serious too! Less “lookie –loo’s” in the winter.  

Warm, cozy and inviting comes naturally in colder weather.   A fire looks much more natural in the fireplace than it does in the middle of June.  Holiday Decor is okay as long as it is simply and tastefully done and not too personal.  This is not the time to have something in every room or in every window. The same goes for all the kids’ handmade decorations from grade school and the ornaments with the family pictures on them. Save them for the next year in your new house.  

But that reading chair, with the afghan tossed over the arm and a great novel on the seat, waiting to be read, makes even more sense in the winter.  A few column candles, a basket with some rolled up towels, a bath sponge and bath salts can turn a bathroom into a soothing spa on a cold afternoon.  

The smell of fresh bread or cookies from the oven can only add to the “I’m home” feeling you want buyers to experience. And the oven won’t overheat the kitchen in colder weather! 

So there you have it.  Open, light bright spaces that are welcoming and attractive to the greatest number of prospective buyers, no matter what the weather or season, is the goal. Remember it’s not what you like now but what the buyers will like.  That positive feeling that a ready-to-sell home generates is contagious and is what brings in more agents and buyers, multiple offers and a higher selling price.  

“The way you live in your home, and the way you sell your house are two different things” 

Four of the things that affect the sale price of your home are Location, General Market, Condition, and Presentation. You can’t do anything about the first two, but you can affect the condition and the presentation of your home.  “You have only 30 seconds to make a good first impression.”  And the most critical and best time to sell is in the first 30 days on the market.

That’s where Home Staging® comes in. Staging ® is the preparation of any home for the real estate market regardless of price, market or location and insures that your home looks its best every time it is shown during that critical first 30 days. 

The above recommendations are all things that a trained professional stager would suggest to you.  For more tips on preparing your entire home for sale, read “Staging 101”, one of the other articles in this directory. Or contact a stager® near you for your personal home review. Staging® is an investment in your house for sale, not an expense. And it is the one investment that makes all the other ones really pay off! Happy Selling! 

Tracy Susick is owner of Room Works Interior Redesign and Real Estate Staging® located in Saegertown, Pa. “We love it when your room works!”