Finance

Tips to Sell Your Home in the Fall

By: Joseph Akintaju on March 1, 2013 @ 12:30 am.

The fall can be a difficult season to sell your home. Spring is when many buyers are out in force, so in the fall, buyers may try to lowball sellers they think are desperate. Fall temperatures and holidays may keep some serious buyers from looking for a new home, but there are ways that you can use the fall season to your advantage and find the perfect buyer for your home.

Use the Season to Your Advantage

Autumn does bring a nice perk if you’re trying to sell your home. Cool temperatures and vibrant fall foliage give your home’s curb appeal a big boost if you can put in some extra work. Pretty leaves will frame your house nicely, but dead leaves on your lawn won’t do you any favors, so be prepared for extra yard work. If you live in an area without much color change, try planting some seasonal plants to give a burst of color. Vibrant colored trees and plants should be the focal point of the yard.

Touch Up the Exterior

Falling leaves may look nice, but the lack of tree cover can reveal some exterior aging and other home clutter. Hopefully you’ve already tended to any glaring eyesores, but make sure you recoat any areas of chipped paint, pressure wash dirty siding and clean out your gutters. Trimming trees can help avoid any damage from fall storms and will also cut down on your leaf-raking later in the season.

Play to the Weather

As the season turns toward winter and temperatures drop, try to make your home as warm and inviting as possible. Turn the A/C up a little, have a coat rack ready at the front door and make sure to light your fireplace if you have one. Fireplaces can be a big selling point, and you’ll want potential buyers to see it in action.

Give The Scent of Home

You should have already taken care of any odd smells in your home, but your home should have an inviting seasonal aroma when buyers arrive. Yankee Candle has a wide range of seasonal candles like apple pie or cinnamon, but if you have the time, go the extra mile and have a pie baking when potential buyers arrive. It may be an hour of extra work, but your house will smell great (and you have a pie, which is always welcome).

Decorate Appropriately

Though your house should be a welcome change from the cold weather, that’s not the only warmth you should have in your home. Use warm fall colors like orange, brown and burgundy throughout the house, and create autumn centerpieces with pumpkins and fall flowers. It may be tough in October, but try to limit the Halloween skeletons and ghosts so you don’t scare off any interested buyers.

Spruce Up Your Website

In some ways, web appeal can be just as important as curb appeal. Many home buyers start their searches by browsing the web, so you want your home’s first impression to be a good one. Start by giving your home a thorough description, but the pictures on your home’s page will be the real hook for buyers. Even if you can’t hire a professional photographer to take stellar images, you can take your point-and-shoot pictures to the next level with a few digital camera accessories from vendors like Gadget Infinity. Using multiple light sources and color filters instead of the camera flash can help make your photos shine.

Be Flexible with Negotiations

Whether you are or not, many buyers believe fall sellers are looking to get out of the house quickly, so you may have to deal with low offers or offer concessions to buyers. If you are looking to move your house quickly, try to be flexible by offering to pay for closing costs or including allowances for certain repairs. With the holidays right around the corner, these concessions can help seal the deal with buyers looking to save money.

Guest post contributed by Rainier Fuclan who does marketing for New American Funding, a Fannie Mae Seller/Servicer, FHA Direct Endorsement – HUD Approved, and VA Automatic mortgage banker offering home owners a variety of loans including 30 Year Fixed Rate Mortgages, Adjustable Rate Mortgages, FHA Mortgages and more.

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