Sellers often believe that it’s impossible to sell a home in Maine during the winter months. But that isn’t true at all. There’s never a bad time to list your home for sale when you have Swan Agency on your team. Don’t wait months to list your Maine home for sale. Selling your home in winter isn’t just possible; in many cases, it’s preferable. Here are just some of the benefits of selling your home in winter.
Less Competition
Because many sellers believe that winter is a bad time to list their home for sale, there will be fewer properties listed. This translates to lower inventory, which means less competition for you. Potential buyers will have fewer choices, which adds perceived value to your home.
Favorable Negotiating Position
Less competition means that your negotiating position as a seller is more favorable, too. You may not need to “sweeten the pot” by throwing in extras, as is common practice in spring and summer. Buyers could meet your asking price and agree to your terms with less haggling.
More Serious Buyers
Winter house hunters tend to be more motivated. It takes extra effort to look for a new home in winter, especially in Maine. Typically, winter season buyers are motivated by the need to relocate, downsize or other reasons that have to do with timing. Often, this results in faster and more serious offers.
Showcase Cozy Features
Maine winters give home sellers a chance to showcase how cozy and warm their home is. A crackling fireplace, plush carpeting and similar features help to attract buyers in the coldest months of the year. Staged with accents like fluffy throws, snuggly pillows and other cozy accessories, your home may be irresistible to potential buyers.
Year-Round Appeal
Showcasing your home’s well-insulated windows, efficient furnace and excellent lighting help to demonstrate your home’s year-round appeal in even the harshest Maine winters. This gives potential buyers confidence that the home is going to be comfortable and secure in every season.
Landscaping Is Unnecessary
Winter home buyers aren’t assessing your landscaping like buyers in spring and summer. This means that home sellers in winter can focus on making the interior look as spacious as possible and not worry about pruning, planting and other tedious landscaping details. Attractive outdoor lighting and a safe, ice- and snow-free path and driveway are all that’s needed.
More Time Off
In winter, most people have extra time off for the holidays. They may also have accrued vacation time that they have to use before the end of the year. This means that potential buyers will have more time off work to attend showings and take care of the paperwork needed to make an offer and conduct a home purchase.
Relocation Timing
There’s a higher incidence of job relocations in the winter, with start dates in early January. For this reason, potential buyers will want to find their new home and get settled in before the holidays are in full swing, and before their new job commences.
Your real estate professionals at Swan Agency are genuine Mainers who understand fully the real estate selling challenges that come with Maine winters. But those shorter hours, cold temps and holiday commitments don’t stand a chance against our savvy pros. We specialize in selling coastal Maine property in all seasons. Contact us today to get started!
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