Thinking of Selling in the Winter? Here’s What to Do Now.
Selling your home in the winter might not be the first season that comes to mind, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad time to sell!
In fact, winter buyers are often motivated buyers. And with fewer homes potentially competing for their attention, having your property prepared and positioned properly can make a big difference.
If you're thinking about selling your home this winter in Edmonton, Leduc or surrounding areas, you don't need to wait until the snow flies to start getting ready.
Here’s what you can do now to make the process easier when it’s time to list.
1. The Big Picture
Before tackling projects or deciding when to put the sign up, start with the bigger picture.
Why are you selling? Do you need to sell before purchasing your next home? Are you working with a specific possession date? Are you flexible with your timeline? Would you prefer to list earlier in the winter or wait until after the holidays?
Your answers will help determine when you list and how you prepare your home.
2. Get an accurate listing price for your home.
Knowing where you stand financially is very important, and The Spring Team offers free market evaluations based on your home’s specific features, upgrades, and condition.
Just remember, the market can change between now and the day you list but getting an evaluation early gives you a starting point, and we can revisit the numbers closer to your listing date to establish a strategic sales price based on the current market.
3. Take Care of your Exterior Projects
This is a big one when you're planning an Alberta winter sale!
Once everything is covered in snow and temperatures drop, certain projects become much harder to tackle.
Look at things like:
Exterior paint or touch-ups
Gutters and downspouts
Fence or gate repairs
Deck and railing repairs
Exterior lighting
Driveways and walkways
Landscaping and yard clean-up
Windows and exterior doors
You don't need to overhaul your entire property. Focus on maintenance items and smaller projects that will help your home feel well cared for/ or updated.
4. Might be time to get exterior photos early
If you know there's a good chance you'll be selling during the winter, talk to us before your yard disappears under the snow!
Depending on your timeline, having photos taken while the lawn, landscaping, deck and exterior features are still visible may give potential buyers a better idea of what the property looks like during the warmer months.
This can be especially helpful if your home has a beautiful yard, mature landscaping, outdoor entertaining space or other exterior features you want buyers to see.
5. Start Decluttering
This is something we recommend in every season, but starting early makes a huge difference.
Begin with the areas that tend to accumulate the most:
Closets, Storage rooms, Garages, Entryways, Mudrooms, Kitchen counters, Bathroom counters, Kids' spaces.
Pack away items you know you won't need before your move and consider donating or selling things you don't want to take with you.
Bonus: you're getting a really good head start on packing!
6. Get Strategic About Your Listing Date
"Winter" covers a pretty big window, and when you list within that window can matter.
Listing before the holidays can look very different from listing over Christmas or coming to market early in the new year.
We'll look at things like:
Current listings
Recent sales
Buyer activity
Competition in your neighbourhood
Your ideal possession date
Your personal schedule
Rather than choosing a listing date based solely on the season, we can help you determine what makes the most sense for your specific situation.
7. Start Gathering Important Information
Start gathering things like:
Keys and door codes
Property Reports or surveys, if available
Property tax information
Renovation receipts
Permits for improvements
Appliance information
Warranty information
Details about major updates to the home
If you've replaced the roof, windows, furnace, hot water tank or completed major renovations, make note of approximately when the work was completed. These are all details we'll want to discuss when preparing your property for market.
8. Final Thoughts from The Spring Team
Selling in the winter doesn't mean waiting until winter to get started.
Some of the best preparation can happen months before your home ever hits MLS especially when you have exterior projects, photos, decluttering or financial planning to take care of.
And you don't have to figure out what needs to be done on your own. Meeting with a realtor before you take on any project could save you time and money. You may be surprised to hear what improvements would net you more or help you sell faster, and which things are not worth it.
We can meet with you before you're ready to list, provide a market evaluation, look at what's happening in your local market and help you determine which projects are worth tackling and which ones you can skip.
Alanna Dawley & Jackie Fraser
REALTOR® | The Spring Team with Grassroots Realty Group
alanna@grassrootsrealtygroup.ca
(780) 288 6763
jackiefraser.realtor@gmail.com
(780) 297 2638
