Springtime may be the most popular season to put a home up on the market, but the Fall season is the second-best time to sell a home. Families have returned from Summer vacations. Children have gone back to school. The holidays aren't yet upon us, at least not in full swing AND we are set to enjoy 75 to 80 days of normalcy, and that makes it a great time to sell a home. There will likely be fewer homes on the market during this time of year, meaning if your house is marketed by us (shameless plug), it should sell fast when the right buyer is drawn in.
Here are a few tips for attracting the perfect autumn home buyer in the Fall season:
Clean Up the Yard
If you’re thinking of selling this season, be sure to clean up and discard any fallen leaves or dead flowers from your yard. Don't let overgrown vegetation block the windows or path to the entrance. Cutting bushes and tree limbs will let the sun inside and showcase the exterior of your home. Cut away summer vines and cut down dead flowers.
This is an ongoing process, but it must be done, because buyers still want to be able to see your lawn and if it is completely covered with leaves this will not be possible.
Clean the Gutters
Don’t forget to keep the gutters clean as well.
Turn on the Lights
Make sure your walkways and any exterior entertainment areas are well lit, because the days are shorter and so is the natural light and often times when buyers want to take a look it will have already have become dark outside. Pull up the blinds, open the shutters, push back the drapes on every window. Turn on every light in the house, including appliance lights and closet lights. Brighten darker rooms with few windows by placing spotlights on the floor behind furniture.
Enhance Your Curb Appeal
The most popular autumn flowers are chrysanthemums (or mums), and they bloom for a long time. You can add marigolds as well. Both mums and marigolds are available in yellow a popular color for the Fall season.
Plant them in pots. Place pots on the steps and along the sidewalk. Accent with pumpkins or other types of squash.
Check the Air Quality
If you want the air inside your home to smell fresh, which we’d hope you want, then the first thing you need to do is check your furnace filter. You can buy 90-day furnace filters from almost any home improvement/hardware store. Have the HVAC system checked before you need to turn on the heat. Besides, a savvy buyer may ask a home inspector to check out your HVAC. If you discover problems with your furnace, it's better to fix them before your home goes on the market.
Make Sure the Price is Right
Some people assume that a house must be priced lower in off-seasons like Fall and Winter to actually sell, but this is not necessarily true. A home needs to be priced to compete in the current market, whatever that happens to be at the time. So when working with us, you can expect expert pricing strategies to ensure that your home is priced perfectly to sell in any market.
If you’re looking for more tips and strategies on how to sell your home this Fall, contact us today (301) 437-1622.
