Thursday, December 4, 2014

From “For Sale” to “Sold” — Selling Your Home in Winter

By Sarah Koons, guest blogger

It’s almost winter and the weather outside is frightful, but living in a senior community is so delightful! If you are considering moving into a retirement community, but own a home, don’t let Jack Frost deter you from proceeding with your plans. With the help of experienced retirement community professionals, realtors and supportive family members, the process of selling your home in winter can become not only doable, but mark the beginning of a new chapter of your life. Fortunately, there are many things senior homeowners can do to increase the salability of their home in the winter months.

According to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realtor Marianne Lang, “You can sell homes all year long.” When it comes to selling your home in winter, Marianne recommends sellers make sure walkways are free and clear of snow so that it is safe for prospective buyers to tour the house. Similarly, if you plan to sell your home after you move into a senior living community, make sure to leave the heat on in the house at a comfortable temperature.

“The main thing is to keep the house warm and welcoming,” Marianne said. Staging the house, and small details like keeping the lights on at night with timers, a cozy wreath on the front door, and a respectable exterior can go a long way in encouraging buyers during otherwise dreary winter months. While winter is characterized by short, cold days, it possesses some unique benefits to which home sellers can warm up.

“Buyers looking in winter are serious buyers,” Marianne reports. “There are lots more homes on the market in spring, which means that a home listed in winter may have less competition.” Homebuyers in winter tend to be people who are in need of a house quickly because of job relocation or other factors, and have no desire to wait until the housing market increases in spring. While Marianne admits that it can be challenging to sellers to put their home on the market during inclement weather, it also has the potential outcome of a speedy offer. Many senior living communities have experienced staff members that can help facilitate a smooth transition by helping you find the best realtor, prepare your home for sale and move your things to your new home.

Jennifer Doone, marketing director at Pennswood Village, a senior living community in Pennsylvania, and her staff are ready to help residents in any way that they need. “We help select realtors if you need us to, we will appraise your home for you, and do everything we can to make it easier,” Jennifer said. “We even have a personal moving consultant who works with residents.”

“The number one thing we hear from residents is that they wish they had moved earlier,” Jennifer said. If you decide it’s time to move into a senior retirement community, don’t change your mind or postpone your decision just because it is winter. Marianne tells seniors, “don’t wait — and price it right.”

When it comes to setting the price of your home in winter, Coldwell Banker Hearthside realtor Joan Kamens recommends sellers “price to sell because time is money.” In her experience it is helpful for sellers to think of their home from a buyer’s perspective. “If your buyer is getting a mortgage then the home needs to be appraised, and the appraisal is based on past comparable sales,” Joan said. Additionally, many senior living communities have seasonal incentives for moving in sooner that can offset taking a lower offer to sell quickly.

With help from retirement communities like Pennswood Village, selling your home in winter has never been easier. As an added benefit, once you finish moving in winter, you’re allowed to prop up your feet and finally enjoy the snowfall instead of worrying about shoveling snow from your driveway.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the post and great tips..even I also think that hard work is the most important aspect of getting success..
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