WINTER STAGING TIPS

With winter soon approaching, what do you do if your home will be on the market during the winter season? Here are some tips and tricks to help you get your home sold during this time of year.

• Keep holiday decorations simple and tasteful It’s okay to decorate. For example, white string lights are used year-round both indoors and outdoors. I know I love to put up a Christmas tree, regardless of whether I’m selling or not. It’s okay to put out a single menorah or one Christmas tree that’s decorated in a simple way.
  Just keep it simple. Maybe scale down what you normally do by not putting out too many family or personal items. This goes for any holiday. Another example would be to put out pumpkins, but not jack-o-lanterns, for Halloween.

 

 This Christmas tree is simple enough to be left up when staging a home.

Copyright 2007 by Steven Tom

Make sure walkways, porches and driveways are cleared. This is both for accessibility, so people can see you house, but also for safety. Use salt or sand any time it rains or snows, just in case. The last thing you need is someone slipping and falling on your property.

Minimize the amount of dirt and grime that gets into your house. Spend a bit of time on the entry area. Put a rubber or coir mat outside all doorways, and place one inside the front entry, where buyers will most likely come into your house. While some people think it’s offensive to ask people to take off their shoes, I think the situation is a bit different in winter. Slush and mud can wreak havoc on floors, especially rugs. I don’t think buyers will be too upset if the request is stated in a polite way.

 

Put welcome mats at each entry that guests will use.

Copyright 2007 by McClouds

You can put out plastic booties as well and give visitors the option. They probably won't fit over heavy winter boots, so boots will most likely need to be removed. You can place a small note in the entry that says something along the lines of, “We want to make sure your new home stays clean and in the best condition possible. If you’d prefer to keep your shoes on, please use the booties provided. Thank you for your cooperation. Please take a treat on your way out.” Have the booties available in a decorative basket at the door, and a bowl of candy or other special treat in a bowl next to the note.

Also, provide a decorative container to hold wet umbrellas.

 

Entice guests to linger in your home by offering warm drinks in winter.

Copyright 2008 by Halle Stoutzenberg

Keep the temperature comfortable. If buyers are cold, they will not want to stay long. I know when I’m cold, I have trouble concentrating, as well. You want buyers’ full attention. I would recommend setting the thermostat between 68 and 70 degrees F.

Light the fireplace for open houses or showings. Note: Please only do this if someone will be present at all times (usually the agent) Sellers shouldn’t be there for the open house, unless they are the ones selling the home.

If you have to be home for showings, make yourself invisible. Well, not exactly invisible, but make yourselves as hidden as possible. For example, find a room off in the corner of the home somewhere and read a book or relax. Then leave that room when the buyers are ready to see it.

While it’s best to leave the house for showings, I understand that in the winter, it is sometimes harder for buyers to leave for multiple showings, especially if you have kids and pets. Just have everyone retreat to one room for the duration of the showing. Play some music or watch TV so that the buyers feel more comfortable speaking to each other without wondering if you are listening.