What You Need to Know Before Listing your Home in the Fall
Listing your home in the Fall; tips for selling your home in the Autumn months
With this summer’s (extreme) heat behind us, and with nothing but clear skies and crisp fall months ahead! We often hear sellers say "We'll wait until Spring to list", but as HGTV's expert Scott MacGillivray outlines in this recent blog, there are some great benefits of selling your house in the fall. Summer holidays are over, the kids are back in school and you may find yourself with more time to plan your next move. So, why not swap those hot summer months for a spot in this autumn’s red-hot real estate market?
Here are a few helpful hints you can use to attract the fall homebuyer:
- Create that irresistible fall curb appeal: autumn is beautiful – arguably one of the most colourful times of the year. From chrysanthemums to marigolds, and pumpkins to squash, there is no limit when it comes to accenting your yard and your home for the fall homebuyer. Place flowers in pots along your walkway or on your front steps, emphasize the warmth of your fireplace with colourful mantelpieces or set your tables with season-appropriate runners and centerpieces. For DIY inspirations, click here.
- Rinse away that summer heat: the summer months can bring a heavy amount of wind and rain, so be sure to start your fall clean-up with a good old-fashioned window cleaning. Further to that, you’ll want to trim your hedges and any branches that might be blocking additional sunlight from entering your home. Remember, the cleaner you make your outdoors, the brighter and more appealing your indoors will be!
- Be mindful of maintenance: as the warmth of summer fades, it’s important to have your HVAC system inspected and cleaned before the cooler months arrive. A common problem that tends to arise from home inspections are in relation to home furnaces; so, before selling your home, be sure to do a full maintenance cleaning indoors and out – rake your leaves, remove loose sticks, weed your flower beds, aerate the lawn and so on.
- Introduce the crisp smell of fall: The right smell can help you sell your home, especially if you use the season as inspiration! How about the smells of wood-burning fireplaces and autumn comfort foods? Give potential homebuyers a sense of home and familiarity by setting out freshly baked pumpkin muffins; you can also simmer hot apple cider on the stove before guests arrive to give them a reason not to forget your home. And hey, if you have a gas fireplace, have it lit when people walk through to create a warm ambiance.
“When you’re in the real estate business, you want someone to walk in and want to stay in the house, so you want (the scent) not to be overbearing, but familiar. You want it to encourage revisiting, because sometimes it takes several visits to decide to buy,” Spangenberg told the Chicago Tribune.
- Don’t shy away from the light: of course, with all the glories of fall, comes shorter days. For daytime showings, pull up blinds, open shutters and push back curtains; for evening showings, lighting is key. And if you have a room with little-to-no-lighting, you needn’t worry! You can brighten things up with hidden floor spotlights by placing them behind furniture.