Whilst it’s not impossible to sell your house during the autumn, it can require a lot more effort to draw in potential buyers. Though there are still many people house hunting during this season, the darkening days make it harder to make our homes look desirable. If you’re left feeling puzzled over what you can do to beat the dreaded end-of-the-year slowdown, we want to help you.
As experts in buying and selling houses, we know the market inside and out. We have written this blog to guide you through the top tips and tricks for selling your property in autumn.
When is the best time to sell my house in autumn?
Autumn has been known to be a particularly tricky month to start the process of selling a house. The summer sun has faded, and the weather has become dreary and cold, making it harder to show our homes in the best light.
Properties that come on the market between mid-October and mid-November have been shown to stay on the market for the longest time. They typically spend close to 80 days before they go under offer, compared to houses in March that tend to take just under 60.
However, it’s not all bad, as there are many pros to selling in autumn, too. For instance, children will have finished their summer holidays and be back in school, giving parents more time to view houses. Many people leaving education also tend to start a new job at this time, prompting many to begin searching for a home close to their work.
A massive positive about selling in autumn is that many people are getting ready for the big ‘C’; they want to settle in their new home in time for Christmas. This is a massive driving force for house sales during this time.
What are some top tips to make my home more desirable?
If your hope for selling your house is becoming as bleak as the weather, there are several things you can do to quickly boost your chances of securing an offer. Here are our top tips for making a sale in autumn.
Get your lighting right
How you light your house can make a big difference in people’s first impression. Most interior designers will say lighting is the most crucial part of designing a room. Having abundant natural light is a massive selling point, but when the skies are dull and cloudy during autumn, you can easily replicate this with bright daylight bulbs. You can try to arrange your viewings when your house gets the most sun, but with our famous British weather, sunlight isn’t always guaranteed. Try to arrange viewings earlier in the day as our nights close in.
When taking photos of your property, keep your curtains and blinds open and your lights on to get the best results. If you’re smart, you can use lighting to make rooms appear larger by using multiple light sources and spreading the light evenly across the room. Using a single ceiling light will pool all of the light in one area of the room, making it feel closed in. Combining ceiling lights, table lamps, and wall lighting works a charm.
Hang up Mirrors
This is the oldest trick in the book for making rooms feel larger and brighter. If you pair a mirror with a light fixture, your room will instantly feel brighter due to the reflection of the light. While this trick works all year around, we included it here as it is particularly useful during autumn and winter. A popular way this is used is in the dining room. When there’s a light above the table, hanging a mirror on the wall casts the light around the room rather than closing it in on the table. Nobody wants to feel like they’re eating dinner in an interrogation room.
Crack the heating on
When your viewers come to look around, you want them to feel as comfortable as possible, so you want to keep your house heated enough that they aren’t thinking about dashing back to their warm car throughout the viewing. Of course, you don’t want to crank it up too high; just maintain an even heat through your rooms. It also shows your viewers that you have a functional boiler, so they don’t have to worry about fixing a faulty heating system if they decide to move in before the winter.
Clear any condensation
This is extremely important to make a good impression. According to research by a survey by the English Housing Association, over 904,00 homes in the UK struggle with dampness. Condensation leads to mould, peeling wallpaper, and decaying timber window frames. The last thing you want is for prospective buyers to envision themselves having to deal with condensation; they should be thinking about how cosy their life will be in their potential new home. This is why using a dehumidifier to draw out and capture the moisture is the best idea. You should also crack open your windows for twenty minutes daily for proper ventilation to evaporate the water.
Stage your home with autumnal decor
Helping viewers imagine themselves living in your property is key to securing a sale. That’s why adding clever decorational touches can make a difference, as it helps viewers picture their vision. We aren’t talking about filling your house with pumpkins and fake autumn leaves; we mean adding comfortable blankets in autumnal colours and using cosy scents. The colder months are a time for cuddling up on the sofa with a cup of something warm, so try to reflect this idea in your interior design.
Sweep fallen leaves
Although the bright colours of red and amber leaves can give a beautiful look to your advertisement pictures, having muddied fallen leaves all over your garden is an instant put-off. Not only do they look unappealing and track dirt into your house, but the first thing your viewers think of is the annoyance of having to clean heaps of leaves up every autumn. Don’t just sweep your garden; be sure to remove any leaves in your drains and gutters.
Work with expert estate agents
Hopefully, our top five tips will help you sell your house this autumn. The best advice we can give you is to find an estate agent who knows your area like the back of their hand. At Open House, our agents are dedicated to making your selling process run as smoothly as possible. We are focused on selling houses in the Oadby, Wigston and Leicester area. As experts in the local market, we can give you informed and precise evaluations to help you sell your home faster. We have agents located in Oadby, Loughborough, Mountsorrel and Queniborough. Speak to us today and find out how we can save you money selling your house.
