The benefits of selling your home in the winter include:
- Winter has lower competition from other sellers, who are waiting for spring.
- You get the chance to show off the heating features and insulation quality of your home—something very important for modern buyers.
- Buyers who are looking in the winter are those who can’t wait for the busier seasons; they need a home now, and are motivated to put a good offer forward for your property.
Read more: Timing your home sale: An expert guide
Contrary to popular belief, winter isn’t a dead season for selling your home. The trees might be bare, the garden might be damp, but the buyers certainly haven’t been scared off by the wet weather.
In fact, the number of people researching and viewing properties online (one of the primary starting points for a sale) barely fluctuates over the colder months. There are the same number of buyers, but less inventory for them to choose from—and less other homes to jostle for position with.
Buyers aren’t bears; they don’t hibernate over winter. They remain actively looking for their next home or investment, and informed sellers know that they shouldn’t freeze up at selling property over winter as a result.
Learn more on our overview on whether or not there's a best time of year to sell your home.
What’s better than heading into a warm home after a cold day? Taking off the boots, shaking off the gloves, slipping out of that damp raincoat; ironic that one of the best parts of the winter weather is being able to escape it.
There are few better ways to make a home inviting to your buyers than turning it into a warm, dry haven from the weather outside. It doesn’t just create a great first impression either; it’s one of the most important factors people consider when deciding to buy a home.
Consider the fact that nearly half of all Kiwis think they live in a cold house, and a significant portion of renters think their home is damp.
Your buyers want a warm, comfortable home, particularly during the wettest days of the year. What better way to show off what your home has to offer than to demonstrate its weather-beating warmth in action? It’s sure to chase the chill out of your buyers at the negotiation table.
Don't disappoint your buyers; make sure you've got the best method of heating your home before going on the market.
Speaking of buyers warming up to your home, here’s another insight into your audience: they are motivated. How do we know? Because they are shopping for a new property in the off-season.
People who are willing to brave the colder weather, who can’t wait for the higher-volume markets of spring; these are the buyers who are either very dedicated to their property portfolio, or need a find a home now.
They might have a new job, a new family member on the way, or might have put a deposit together and want to stop paying rent ASAP. Whatever the reason, buyers who are hunting for a home in the winter are more motivated.
This translates directly into benefits for you as a seller: one study from the US found that homes sold in the colder months were almost 10 per cent more likely to sell, sold for 1.2 per cent more and spent one week less on the market.
If you're selling a lifestyle property, learn about the buyers you'll encounter—and how to sell to them.
Despite its reputation for being a quiet season for home selling, the reality is that winter has less competition, offers an opportunity to show off your home’s most important features and provides more motivated buyers to view your home.
Don’t freeze at the thought of selling in winter; it might be the best time for you to sell!
