Winter is fast approaching, but that does not mean that you should hold off on listing your home.  According to a study by Real Estate company Redfin, homes that are listed in winter months sell faster than homes listed in warm months and for more money.  In central PA, homes are still going on the market and buyers are still purchasing.  We are dealing with a lack of inventory, more buyers than homes for sale!  With these tips, you can make your home stand out above the rest and help get the most money in your pocket.

Winter market knowledge is a priority.  First and foremost, hire an agent that has a detailed marketing plan and pricing strategy specifically for the winter market. And, without question, insist that your agent uses the best real estate marketing tool there is- Professional Real Estate Photography by Annie M Design.

Find a happy balance between Scrooge and Clark Griswald. Minimize Holiday decorations and pack them away right after the Holiday is over. Keep it simple, white lights, a wreath on the door and a tree in the living room are the perfect ways to decorate while your home is on the market. Leave the more elaborate decorations for the next house.

Keep your home safe and accessible in winter weather. In inclement weather, make sure to have a clear path to your front entrance with snow removal and ice melt. One home that always comes to mind when I think of post snow storm clearing is a home I photographed last year.  A very clever seller cleared a square path around the perimeter of their front and back yard, so a potential buyer could walk the exterior of the home without any obstruction of snow. I am sure this made quite a positive impression on all prospective buyers.

Warm buyers are happy buyers.  If your home is vacant, the rule of thumb is to keep your heat around 50 degrees, so pipes do not freeze. In my opinion, that temperature is just too cold. It might be just high enough to ensure that no pipes burst, but when a buyer walks into a home that is cold and empty, once there teeth start to chatter, they will want to run back out to their warm car. Bring the heat up to around 65 degrees, where it is comfortable, warm and cozy. Yes, this could make a difference in your heating bills, but if this small change helps bring a buyer to your home faster, it will be a great decision in the long run.

Don't leave your home (and potential buyers) in the dark. With shorter days, the need for home lighting is more important than ever. Buyers will schedule showings after their work day and this usually means that this will also be after sunset. Make sure the exterior of your home is well lit and that the lights are on inside the home. When a prospective buyer pulls up to your home, the welcoming feel of a well lit house will always make a positive first impression. 

Organize it or hide it, there is no in between.  Keep the entry and/or mud room clean and organized. It is easy to let the winter coats, boots, hats, gloves etc, to pile up, which can pull a buyer's eyes away from the positives to just looking at clutter. Keeping these areas organized can be a challenge during a snowy season, but making sure it is tidy and neat can highlight the space and possibilities of these areas of your home.

Show off warm weather positives of your home, even in the middle of a blizzard.  Do you have a pool, extensive gardening or other exterior features of your home that can't be shown off in the winter? Don't hesitate to show off pictures of these areas during their peak seasons at a central location in the home, like a front entry or kitchen island. Framing or making a book with the images is always a lovely touch!  Even go the extra mile if you have a pool, when you have your pool closed, ask the pool company that you use to inspect the pool and then make any necessary repairs to ensure a clean bill of health.  Buyers are unable to order a true pool inspection during the winter months and could make them hesitant to purchase without the knowledge of the pool condition.  With a clean pool inspection available, you can relieve those concerns.  

Don't be discouraged by cold weather selling; winter buyers are serious buyers  Winter buyers usually are buying because they need to, not because they want to, which can create a high level of motivation.  With low interest rates and predictions of 2016 being one of the strongest real estate markets in years, we are set to have the best winter yet!

Making a great first impression is important in many aspects of life, and that holds especially true when selling your home.  For many buyers, those first few seconds of viewing a property is key to whether they are interested, or just want to move on to the next house in their search.  The front door plays an important role on making a good or bad first impression to a buyer.  Think of the front door as a handshake welcoming buyers into their potential new home.  By sprucing up, or replacing a front door, you can be assured that every showing will start off great. 

Replacing a front door yields one of the highest return on investment a homeowner can make.  But depending on the condition of your existing door, sometimes all it needs is a little TLC to make it look brand new again.  A good cleaning, new hardware, and sometimes a fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference.  If applicable, replacing an old storm door is important as well, an all glass storm door is ideal, or removing it all together if you can get away with it works too.

For some bonus points, try replacing the old house numbers with new, more modern ones.  Same goes with outdated outdoor lighting fixtures and mailboxes.  Adding a stylish welcoming mat, as well as a nice potted plant or two, amps up the charm.  Most of all, don't forget about the landscaping and lawn maintenance! The lovely new and improved front door may not be able to compensate for the wildly overgrown shrubs leading up to it.

So if listing your house in is your near future, remember that first impressions truly count.  Improving the front door of a home will ensure that each and every showing starts off solid with a great first impression!

By Guest Blogger (and Assistant Extraordinaire) Pauleen Sharples

Annie M Design of Elizabethtown, Pa Receives
Best Of Houzz 2015 Award

 

Over 25 Million Monthly Unique Users Rated Top-Rated Home Building,
Remodeling and Design Professionals in the United States and Around the World


Elizabethtown, Pa January 19, 2015 – Annie M Design of Elizabethtown, Pa has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The Real Estate Photography, Staging and Marketing Firm, in it’s third year was chosen by the more than 25 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 500,000 active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Design and Customer Satisfaction. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 25 million monthly users on Houzz, known as “Houzzers.” Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2014. Winners will receive a “Best Of Houzz 2015” badge on their profiles, helping Houzz users around the world who discover and love a professional’s work to learn even more about that business’ popularity and satisfaction rating among their peers in the Houzz community. 

“I am beyond excited to win this award for a second year!  I pride myself on the high level of customer service and satisfaction that I am strive to offer to all of my customer and clients.  It is wonderful to not only be noticed, but awarded for this!”, said Annie Weiler, owner of Annie M Design.  “I am beyond blessed to be able to continue this into 2015 and look forward to serving the best real estate professionals for many years to come.”

Houzz provides homeowners with a 360 degree view of home building, remodeling and design industry professionals, empowering them to engage the right people and products for their project,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing for Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize Annie M Design among our “Best Of” professionals as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

 

Follow Annie M Design on Houzz 
 

About Annie M Design

Central PA's Premier Real Estate Photographer! I am a professional photographer who specializes in capturing beautiful images of homes & communities, inside & out. Being a licensed real estate professional for over 13 years, I understand the nature of the real estate business & have successfully worked with different agents on a variety of different types of real estate.

 

About Houzz

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin and Sydney. For more information, visit www.houzz.com

While virtual tours offer an abundance of information, sometimes agents just want to show a quick snippet of a property's best features...introducing the Listing Teaser Video!  The Listing Teaser Video is a 25-30 second video, set to swift paced music and highlights some of the best features of your listing!  This video is perfect to share on all social media platforms, as your local MLS allows.  This video will keep the attention of prospective buyers and only includes the pertinent details- property address and your contact information.