The warm weather and bright colors of summer are quickly drifting away for most of us in the US and cooler temps and less sunlight is quickly becoming the norm. Unfortunately, like the reduced amount of sunlight, sellers will often see a reduction of buyers visiting their home.
Now is the time to start preparing your home for the cooler temps by making it feel warm and cozy on the interior and exterior. Here are a few things you can do to ensure your home leaves a positive impression in the mind of buyers.
Maximize Your Curb Appeal
It’s harder to make your yard stand out in the Fall as trees are going into Winter mode (aka looking dead) and the blooming of most summer flowers has passed. It can be a chore but make the effort to keep leaves raked and if your grass is still growing, keep it trimmed. A great way to make your home stand out in the eyes of potential buyers is to tastefully decorate for Fall. A great way to do this is to place a Fall themed wreath on the front door and put some potted mums and pumpkins at the front entry way.
Since plants and trees will not be as full more of your homes flaws may be exposed. Before it’s too cold to bear, take the time to pressure wash the siding and driveway. A home that looks dirty from dust, oil, etc. on the outside will leave an unpleasant first impression. This summer brought some crazy weather that may have caused damage to your home. If you haven’t done it yet, make sure you do any repairs like fixing a broken fence.
Make Your House Feel Like a Home
When a buyer is house hunting they will often be stressed and on a bad weather day they could be cold and wet. Place floor mats at the entry way so they can take off their wet shoes or at least wipe them off. Have warm light bulbs in all lamps and have the house well lit. If it’s really cold out, turn the heat on in your home so they’re not hurrying to leave. Make the house feel cozy by placing warm fall scented candles around the house (my favorite is pumpkin spice.) Don’t light the candles because you don’t want the smell to be too strong. Placing soft blankets on your couch or a chair will also help to give a warm feel. A fall themed centerpiece on the dining room table is a subdued way to decorate without going overboard.
Help buyers to see the master bedroom as theirs by having a clean luxurious comforter on the bed while they’re visiting. I know it seems like common sense, but I have to say it, make sure the room is squeaky clean. A potential buyer doesn’t want to see your dirty laundry or a bed unmade.
I know it’s been said before, but a great final touch is to have freshly baked cookies on display in the kitchen. A buyer will love the potential snack and it will make your house smell delectable.
Fall brings its own challenges, but it’s also a great time to use the seasonal items to make your house stand out. I’m sure there are other fantastic ideas, if you have any that worked please feel free to comment and share with other sellers.
Christine is the Content Marketing Coordinator for Homes.com. She's a small town girl at heart, who currently lives in Norfolk, VA with her husband and their fur baby. When she's not working, she enjoys cooking, decorating, traveling, and binge watching Netflix. As a proud Virginia Tech alum, she also loves cheering on the Hokies!
