Hey friends, [JOE AGENT] here with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty Texas. I understand that Winter weather is often an afterthought or a one-off occurrence in our local area. In most cases, snow comes and goes within a few days or even hours after it falls. However, as the last 2 years have shown us, the possibility of severe weather is always there. If you're selling your home this Winter or the next, let's talk about four ways you can prepare for showings in less-than-ideal conditions.
First, you want to make sure that all the entryways to your home are clear of snow and ice. It is a good idea to have a small bag of ice melt or salt to keep the ice off of your porches and outdoor walkways as well. If possible, salt your porch and driveway the night before a weather event so the ice doesn't even form in the first place. Then, after the weather event, sweep the salt off to avoid any staining or salt residue that may remain.
Secondly, consider adding a rug or runner by the entrance of your house if there is not one already. You can request that prospective buyers remove their shoes before walking around the home, and I suggest that you do that, and also, have a location for them to place their shoes. If there is water or dirt on the bottom of their shoes, you'd obviously prefer to have them placed on a rug.
Third, you may need to be more flexible with showings. If it is going to snow on Saturday morning, you may have prospective buyers that want to move up their appointment and see the home on Friday. Though you have the final say on when your home is available for tours, opening your home early for prospective buyers may earn you a few brownie points in the transaction and move your home a bit faster. The more foot traffic through your home, the better. Don't lose a weekend of showings to Winter weather if you can avoid it.
On a lighter note, selling your home in Winter really opens up opportunities for some fun staging. Play around with textures, like a faux fur blanket and cable knit pillows. Set your table for a large Holiday Dinner. Hang a tasteful amount of decorations and show prospective buyers what their Holiday season could look like in your home.
There are certainly different stressors when you list in the Winter. However, there are plenty of benefits! If you want to talk about your home, listing in Winter, or just want to say hi, I'm [JOE AGENT} with BHHS PenFed Realty Texas, and call me today at XXX- XXX- XXXX!
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