By Karen Packard
Fall is an amazing time in New England and is one of my favorite seasons! For anyone who knows me, even though I met my husband, Mark, skiing and working at Wachusett Mountain in High School, winter is my least favorite season and it will be here before you know it
As a real estate agent, the snow and cold make it challenging to sell houses. Not only do many people feel the same way as me, and just want to cuddle up in front of a fire in the winter, but we lose some of the curb appeal for house photos in the winter months. I am all for winter wonderland pictures, but when trying to sell a house, I think photos are the most important first impression. A beautiful green lawn and shrubs in front of the house look much better than everything whitewashed covered in snow or worse…muddy snow!
Experts are predicting a very strong fall market with less chaos than we had this spring. We have plenty of buyers in our area that are ready to buy that missed out on houses earlier this year due to bidding wars. Many took a break over the summer to regroup but are back out house shopping looking to buy a new property before winter. I continue to see strong offers and houses moving quickly from available to under agreement.
The good news is that we still have time before winter to list and sell your property. If you are considering selling this year, the sooner the better in my opinion. Not only would I want your photos to be beautiful fall foliage shots instead of snow, but people shop more for houses in fall. The temperatures in October and November are crisp but inviting to still spend time outside. During open houses and private showings, the buyers can see the yard better, the privacy on the trees should last a little bit longer and walking the property is enjoyable instead of the wind biting your face forcing the buyers to hurry inside quickly during winter showings. Buyers are more apt to purchase a house when they are comfortable.
So, try to get your house ready and listed before the holidays and cold weather starts to creep in. Keep in mind that at this time of year the sun sets earlier, so plan to leave all your lights on for showings both inside and outside the house. It makes the home seem more inviting with the lights on. Also, we don’t want buyers searching for light switches instead of paying attention to how the house makes them feel. Don’t put the patio furniture away yet or close the pool early if you are planning on selling; the yard should be staged just like the house! As with any time of year, clean out as much clutter as possible to make the house seem bigger, clean and well maintained. Light a fall-scented candle if you are only leaving the house briefly for the showing. I love entering a house with an apple pie smell at this time of year! Quick tip, if you are going to light multiple candles, make sure they are the same smell, as adding too many different smells can be distracting. Add some fall plants to the yard or front steps to fill in with some pops of color. Fall annuals are not expensive and add a huge impact. If you don’t like adding plants, put some pumpkins out on the steps for color. Little details go a long way!