So maybe you’re thinking of selling your home soon, but your friends are telling you to wait until the spring time to take advantage of the spring market. After all, wouldn’t it be better to sell in a busy market rather than through the quieter winter months?

Not necessarily.

Here are some great reasons why you should be selling your house now instead of waiting for the spring.

1. People buy and sell homes all throughout the year.  Not listing your house now means you’re losing out on potential buyers who are looking to buy a home right away.
2. Due to the colder weather and occasional snow storms, you’ll get a lot less casual buyers wasting your time.  Buyers who are braving bad weather are much more serious.
3. There are less houses on the market, which means less competition for you.

If you’ve decided you’re ready to sell in the winter, here are some tips for getting your house sold!

• Make sure your windows are clean – Windows tend to get dusty and covered with snow.  Cleaning your windows and pulling back the curtains lets in sunlight to brighten up your rooms.
• Make ample use of warm lighting and lamps – Cheer your home buyers up with warm, inviting lighting in every room.  Winter days tend to be darker, so make sure every room is well lit.  Get extra table lamps if you need to add a dash of lighting in any corner.  Why not turn on the fireplace as well?
• Clear snow and ice away from the sidewalk and driveway – Show your buyers that your home is well maintained and that you’re expecting them.
• Add a little holiday spirit with some outside staging - Adding wreaths or tasteful holiday decorations always brings festive spirits.

Most of all, make sure you hire a reliable real estate agent that doesn’t disappear for the holidays.  If you’re thinking of selling your home in Brampton, don’t forget to give me a call and let me handle the sale while you can enjoy the holiday season.  Just call 905-268-1000 and ask for Lang.

Happy holidays!

Lang

Home staging has become a hot topic in the last few years, especially with the popularity of home flipping shows.  Whether it’s a short-live trend still remains to be seen.  However, there’s no argument that properly staging your home can indeed help you sell your home faster and for a higher price.  With the Brampton real estate market so competitive, it takes a lot of preparation and planning not only have your house stand out among the other listings in your neighbourhood, but also to get it sold fast and for full value.

I’ve included some videos below that deal strictly with home staging.  It’s a 3 part series called Setting The Stage that gives you some ideas on how to stage your home for as little as $100 or for as much as $5000.  Remember, making that first impression to any potential buyer is critical.  The moment they step into your house, they’ve already got a sense of whether they like your home or not.  If you can stage your home for a minimal investment and get that money back from a higher sale price, why not do it?

Enjoy the videos.

If you’re selling your home in Brampton, you know that on any particular weekend, you are competing with hundreds of other open houses. Although open houses do not draw the same crowds as they used to in the 80′s before the advent of MLS.ca, they are still an opportunity to get potential buyers into your home. If you’ve committed to an open house, you want ensure you make the best first impression! Here are 5 tips on how to make the most of your open house.

1. Make sure your house is tidy and the little problems are fixed. This may seem obvious to most of you, but there have been countless times where I’ve walked into an open house that was far from ‘showing’ form. Clean up the important rooms such as the front hallway where people first walk in, the kitchen, the master bedroom, and all the washrooms. Gleaming tiles, clear windows, and polished hardwood make a great impression. Make sure leaky faucets are fixed, squeaky spots on floors are taken care of, and walls should be freshly painted or super clean.
2. De-clutter your house. You may find the trinkets and flea market figurines cute, but that’s your personal taste. Buyers may not share your love for Snoopy. Put away things that line up the counters and crowd your cabinets. Remember, the idea is to make as much space as possible. The more space is perceived, the better chance you have of snagging a buyer.
3. De-personalize. Put away the family photos and take down the kid’s pictures from the fridge. You want buyers to feel like it’s their home, not yours. The only way potential buyers can picture themselves in your home is without you in it!
4. Add those little touches. There’s a reason why showroom homes look so great. Bring out the fresh towels and stage your bathroom. Prop up all your pillows and make the bed with new sheets. Make sure your home smells inviting – a subtle fragrance from a pleasant air freshener will do wonders! Buyers notice all the little details, so you should too!
5. Hold a pre-open house. If you plan on holding your open house from 12pm – 4pm, why not hold an early open house at 11am for your neighbours? Your neighbours will feel great for the invite, while your real estate agent can focus on serious buyers during the actual open house.

An open house doesn’t have to be a scary event. With proper preparation and a little sound advice from your real estate agent, you may just find the perfect buyers for your home!