Top tips to help sell your home in autumn
Do you need to move house? Worried autumn isn’t a good time to sell?
Don’t panic.
An impressive average of just over 265,000 house sales typically take place during the months of September, October and November.
Follow our seasonal tips below and there’s no reason your property can’t be one of them!
7 ways to boost your property’s autumnal appeal
1. Tackle leaves
First impressions count – so be sure your property makes a good one!
Do this by raking up fallen leaves and sweeping around to ensure your outside space looks smart and well-maintained.
It’s a good idea to clear out drains and gutters. Left untended, autumn leaves can cause a build-up of debris leading to blockages. Add a heavy downpour into the mix and whilst it may only be a harmless leaf obstruction, overflowing water can give the wrong impression to buyers – suggesting drain problems or issues with faulty guttering. And no one wants additional maintenance jobs or potential expenses when they’ve just moved in.
If there’s decking in the garden, it’s a good idea to make sure this is kept clean and clear too. Autumn leaves and debris, if left unattended, can make the surface dangerously slippery – and falling over mid-viewing is unlikely to make for a successful sale!
2. Illuminate
Natural light is usually best for property viewings but with reduced daylight hours available in autumn, this can pose a problem. So, what do you do?
The first step is to try and make the most of the daylight that is available. If you work nearby, could you arrange viewings during your lunch hour? Or failing that, organise weekend appointments?
If daytime is difficult, you need to consider your lighting situation carefully. Illuminating the front and back of the house will help buyers to get a proper understanding of the outside space available. Once they step indoors, carefully positioned lamps can really help to create an attractive ambience and make your home appear cosy and inviting.
Just be careful you don’t make things too dark. Yes, relying on ceiling lights can be a little harsh and cast a less appealing glow, but equally, you don’t want it to appear as though you’re dimming the lights to hide things.
3. Ventilate
As temperatures dip so too does the temptation to open windows and let fresh air in – but you need to!
Good ventilation will help to minimise any traces of stale air or cooking smells. Throwing open a window can also help to reduce condensation and give your home a fresher feel.
4. Clean
Autumn heralds spider season. Whether you’re a fan of creepy crawlies or not, pesky webs left dangling are unlikely to create a good impression so make sure you keep on top of dusting and check corners and ceilings for cobwebs.
Once you’ve looked up, it’s then time to look down. How clean are those carpets? If you’ve been trudging in and out of the garden all summer, the answer is probably, not very. Even if they appear ok, the likelihood is a quick once over with a carpet cleaner will give them a new lease of life and freshen things up before viewings start.
5. Set the tone
As the weather dips, focus on interiors is heightened and if you’re looking to bag a quick sale, it can pay to dress your home for the season.
Autumn is all about upping the snuggle factor and getting cosy. Demonstrate how your home is perfect for this with a few nods to the season – fluffy throws and scattering a few rustic-coloured cushions can inject an autumnal tone without costing the earth.
6. Turn up the heat
Stepping into a warm home from the chilly outdoors is like receiving a welcoming hug and is a great way to make your property appeal to viewers. But as with everything, it’s all about balance. Turn up the thermostat too high and you risk making people uncomfortable, potentially jeopardizing the viewing as it’s cut short in a bid to escape the heat.
Want to be in your new home for Christmas?
As a rule, buyers and sellers are keen to move quickly at this time of the year. Eager to have things wrapped up before Christmas.
With everyone impatient to keep things moving, if you’re looking to sell property this autumn, you need to work with the right team. And that’s where we come in.
At GD Legal, as trusted and experienced conveyancers, we promise to be by your side every step of the way. Doing everything in our power to ensure your sale completes as quickly as possible.
Talk to the team or access a quote for our services now. All we need are a few key details and 30 seconds of your time (we told you we were quick!).