As the vibrant colors of the fall season start to appear, the real estate market also experiences a shift for homeowners potentially looking to sell. Selling your home during the autumn months presents new opportunities, such as leveraging a cozy home atmosphere and reaching motivated home buyers looking to settle in before the holidays. In this guide, we’ll dive into the essential steps to take when prepping to sell your home this fall. From enhancing curb appeal amidst the falling leaves to creating a warm and inviting interior, we’ll provide you with valuable insights and practical tips to ensure a successful home selling experience. Get ready to take advantage of the season, and sell your home for the most money this fall!
1. Before Selling Your Home This Fall, Make Repairs
Before putting your home on the market in any season, making some basic repairs can go a long way in enhancing the property’s overall appeal and potentially boosting its value. There are plenty of simple things you can do to spruce up your house, from putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls, to replacing light switches and leaky faucets. Projects like these are typically inexpensive and don’t require a whole lot of time and are very attractive to potential buyers. It suggests that the home has been well taken care of and is sure to leave a lasting impression.
2. Fall Specific Home Maintenance
Aside from your usual home fixes, there are maintenance tasks that are specific to the fall season. Before any showings or open houses, be sure to rake the leaves and trim any trees or shrubs. You may also want to put away some of your summer outdoor furniture to declutter your yard and store them away early for the upcoming winter months. It’s also wise during this time to switch out the batteries for your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. A super helpful reminder can be the time change! Whenever you set your clocks back in the fall or forward in the spring, this can serve as a reminder to change those batteries.
3. Staging Your Home for Sale
Now that you’ve gone through the house and made the necessary repairs, it’s time to prepare for listing photos, showings, and open houses. All three will be a prospective buyers first impression of the home, and you want to draw them in to view the home, and hopefully…put in an offer! Before your photographer comes in, you should dedicate time to declutter your home. Develop a strategic decluttering plan, and group items into categories of what will be kept, donated, or thrown away. You should also give the home’s interior a solid dusting and vacuuming before putting it on the market.
Another important aspect of home selling is to take the necessary steps to stage and depersonalize the space. As much as you may love your family photos and kids’ drawings, you’ll definitely want to pack those away. When buyers visit the property, they don’t want to feel like they’re visiting someone else’s home. They want to feel like they’re in a clean slate where they can envision their future and all the cherished memories they can make there.
4. Take Advantage of Fall and Create a Cozy Atmosphere
The crisp air of fall brings strong feelings of coziness, and sellers should aim to capture this feeling within their homes. From decorating the living room with soft throw pillows and blankets, to lightning kitchen candles that smell of pumpkin and cinnamon, there are so many easy ways to create a cozy fall atmosphere that buyers will fall in love with.
5. This Fall, Boost your Home’s Curb Appeal
Along with raking the leaves and cleaning up the bushes, make enhancements to the property’s curb appeal, as beautiful landscaping can add up to 15% to your home’s overall value. Your yard is truly an extension of your home, and a well-maintained exterior will suggest to buyers that the house’s interior is just as taken care of. Try adding some mums, pumpkins, and other fall décor on your front porch so that visitors are greeted with autumn vibes as soon as they arrive to the property. Be sure to also keep the outside clean by giving your walkways a nice sweep and pulling any pesky weeds, as cleanliness helps improve a yard – and therefore a buyer’s overall impression of the property.
6. Price Strategically for the Fall Real Estate Market
Every season throughout the year brings on their own unique changes, and it is no different for the real estate market. During autumn, there is far less competition for sellers, as the number of homes listed begins to drop. Historically, listings dwindle in the weeks following Labor Day and continue to do so until spring comes around. Additionally, prospective buyers usually come out in droves during the fall months, as many are eager to purchase a home and settle down before the holidays begin. All this being said, it is CRUCIAL to price your home appropriately for the fall market. Keep an eye on what the market is doing and be sure to analyze comparative sold properties in your area. Pricing the property is one of the many instances where having an expert REALTOR® in your corner is so important for a successful transaction.
7. To Ensure a Successful Fall Home Sale, Work with a Professional REALTOR®
No matter the season, selling a home is a complex and sometimes stressful process, as it is usually your largest asset. With all of the major decisions that need to be made, you need to hire an experienced real estate agent to ensure you have the most seamless sale possible. Trying to sell without the guidance of a professional might sound like a good way to cut costs, but it’s likely you’ll lose money when all is said and done. REALTORS® are expertly trained and experienced at negotiating, pricing, you name it! They’re with you every step of the way to make sure the process is done with careful attention to detail. At the end of the day, your real estate agent will be your biggest advocate during your home sale this fall.
Happy Fall and Happy Home Selling!
When the colors of fall begin to make their appearance, the real estate market also changes its tune, offering advantages for homeowners thinking about selling. Autumn isn’t just about cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice—it’s a time when motivated buyers are extra determined to find a new home before the holiday season. This guide has been your roadmap, showing you seven essential steps to prepare your home for a sale this fall. From fixing up things around the house to getting your place looking great for showings, we’ve got you covered. Remember that making your home look welcoming inside and out is key, alongside setting the right price for the current market. With a trusted REALTOR® by your side, you’ll have a smooth and successful home selling journey. So, get ready to make the most of this season to sell your home successfully!