Selwyn_Times: July 13, 2022
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18 [Edition datE]<br />
Should you sell<br />
your house in<br />
winter?<br />
Selling a property in winter may seem to go against received wisdom,<br />
but there are plenty of reasons why it can be a good idea.<br />
It’s hard to ignore powerful or compelling<br />
reasons like a change in your work, financial<br />
or family circumstances, or because the<br />
timing seems right. In addition, there are<br />
several other, more tangible upsides to<br />
selling in winter.<br />
Firstly, there are often fewer houses on<br />
the market so there’s less competition. Your<br />
property is less likely to be lost in a swarm<br />
of listings and it will be easy to make it stand<br />
out. People who are looking to buy at this<br />
time of year are usually highly motivated<br />
because they need a home sooner rather<br />
than later. The upside of this is that you<br />
may get fewer ‘tyre-kickers’ than in the<br />
warmer months – and increased demand<br />
will often result in higher prices.<br />
If you’re selling your property with a<br />
real estate agent, you need to mine their<br />
experience. When you’re choosing an<br />
agent, ask them how houses in your area<br />
sell over the colder months. It’s in their<br />
interests to make sure the sale of your<br />
property is as advantageous as possible;<br />
if they think you’ll be better off waiting<br />
a couple of months, they should tell you.<br />
They should also work with you to work<br />
out the best times to hold open homes<br />
or viewings, taking in account shorter<br />
sunlight hours.<br />
You want your property to look attractive,<br />
inviting and easy to look after – and there<br />
are plenty of practical steps you can take to<br />
make it seem an attractive proposition on a<br />
cold winter’s day. Now’s the time to fix any<br />
leaks, cracked windows or sticking doors<br />
or broken drains. All the usual rules for<br />
preparing a home for sale will apply - your<br />
buzzwords should be decluttering and<br />
deep-cleaning. If it has good insulation<br />
and an efficient heating system, make sure<br />
these factors are included in any marketing.<br />
Ensure the house is warm and dry during<br />
any viewings.<br />
Don’t forget that people will want to<br />
look around the outdoor areas too -<br />
sweep or waterblast paths, mulch garden<br />
beds and clear gutters. If your garden is<br />
picture-perfect in summer and spring,<br />
consider making some photos available so<br />
prospective buyers can see what they’ve got<br />
to look forward to. A few colourful plants<br />
in pots will also help brighten outdoor<br />
spaces and a new letterbox or freshly<br />
painted front fence or gate will do wonders<br />
for your property’s street appeal.<br />
Prepare well and there’s no reason why<br />
you can’t successfully sell your property<br />
before the weather warms up. Sell now and<br />
you’ll hopefully have lots of properties to<br />
choose from when you start scanning the<br />
market in spring.<br />
The Real Estate Authority (REA), is the<br />
independent government agency that<br />
regulates the New Zealand real estate<br />
industry. For more information about<br />
buying or selling property, check out<br />
settled.govt.nz.<br />
ADRIENNE<br />
GOODEVE<br />
Proven Sales Excellence<br />
Adrienne is driven to provide an unparalleled level of<br />
customer experience and her commitment to high<br />
standards and hard work ensure she delivers, every<br />
time. Working in the Jo McIntosh Team she is<br />
backed by the power of an award-winning real<br />
estate team.<br />
Adrienne Goodeve | 021 977 877<br />
adrienne.goodeve@bayleys.co.nz<br />
Residential / Commercial / Rural / Property Services
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