Selling you home in the fall.
Fall, the season
of falling leaves and prices … not so fast.
There are a lot
of reasons people list their homes in the fall, most of them do not have to
deal with desperation. So don’t get trapped in that mentality. Right now we are
still in a seller’s market. Inventory is down and buyers are approaching me
every day. I have 100s of buyers in waiting. Waiting for their next home that
we haven’t found yet.
Follow these top
five staging tips for autumn planning:
1. Focus on Fall
Curb Appeal. When your house is on the market, your top priority should be your
home's curb appeal. Unfortunately, however, keeping an attractive-looking yard
gets tougher in the fall. Your summer flowers will have already come and gone,
so make sure you dress up your front steps with pots of brightly colored mums,
and a few pumpkins as soon as they're available.
You'll also want
to make sure your yard and beds are kept clean of falling leaves. Keeping up
with falling leaves can be a chore, especially when they start falling during
peak season. Raking is no job for a perfectionist, and a few leaves here and
there are okay. Overall, however, you need to be sure that potential buyers see
your yard and home, not dim shapes covered up by three inches of leaves.
2. Don't Go
Overboard. Now that we've covered priority No. 1, remember the importance of
moderation. As important as staging is, the key to success is to keep yourself
in check and know when to stop. You don't want to break your personal budget,
and you don't want to over-decorate your home. Between the weather, fall
sports, and holidays, autumn is full of tempting reasons to decorate too much.
It's easy to go
overboard, and plenty of people will make this mistake. Don't be one of them.
Put a simple wreath on the door, grab a few potted mums for inside, and leave
it at that. Remember, you want your buyers to remember the house, not your
great fall or Halloween decorations. You just want some accents that make
potential buyers realize what they could do if they owned your home.
3. Focus on
Comfort. It might not be sweater weather yet, but we all want to be in a cozy
home. Once you've drawn potential buyers in, make them realize how comfortable
they'd be during fall--and year-round. Highlight the coziness of your home.
Stack firewood in the fireplace so it's "ready to go," at least in
your buyers' minds. Add some comfy touches like laying out your favorite
blanket.
4. Brighten up
Your House. Autumn days get shorter and shorter, and the early sunset can weigh
down emotions and lead to some tired house shoppers coming to your home
experiencing seasonal affective disorder symptoms. So brighten your home, and
their day.
Make sure you
have bright, warm light bulbs in all of your lamps and fixtures. If it's even a
little dark outside or getting slightly dim in a room, turn on your lamps. If
you have a room that gets strong afternoon sun or has a great angle at sunset,
make sure the shades are wide open at the right time. No matter what time it
is, your home should look bright, clean, and open.
5. Change Your
Bedding. Don't let the warm and cozy theme stop on the main floor of your home.
Your shoppers will be upstairs checking out the bedroom, so make sure it's just
as cozy as every other room - if not more.
If your quilt is
old and battered, change it for a new one. You can still sleep under your favorite
quilt, but show off with a thick and luxurious one, even if it's just
temporary. The bed is the focal point of the room, and the comforter sets the
tone and establishes how the room will feel. It's crucial for you to make it
warm, relaxing, and inviting.
Fall is a season
of change, and if your home is still on the market, it just means you need to
switch up your plan. Change the feel of your home by making it feel warm and
cozy for the fall season, and you'll be more likely to draw interest from potential
buyers.
-Kris
PS. Save the date
– December 3, 2015 5:30 – 8:30 Toy Drive at Compadres to support Napa’s
Salvation Army Angels and Toys for Tots.
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