If you’re waiting for April or May to list your house and take advantage of the spring selling season, you might want to rethink that strategy. Statistics show — and experienced real estate agents confirm — that listing your home in the winter might actually help it sell for more.
According to an analysis released in May 2024 by real estate data provider ATTOM, homes listed in February yielded a seller premium of 12.8% above market value, second only to homes listed in May, which had a seller premium of 13.1%. ATTOM analyzed over 59 million single-family home and condominium sales from 2011 to 2023 to arrive at the data, which suggests that sellers who choose to list their homes in February can reap benefits in the form of higher sales prices.
“It used to be that the Super Bowl was the kickoff of the spring market for real estate,” says Lisa Rome, a global real estate advisor with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty in Evanston, Illinois. “But as the years have gone by, people have realized the advantages of being on the market sooner, so it has gotten earlier and earlier.”
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Winter Listing Advantages
Listing a house in the winter offers sellers several advantages. First, there are usually fewer houses on the market, so sellers have less competition. In addition, buyers who are trudging through wintry weather often have a good reason for being out in the cold — they need to move. Whether it’s a relocation for a new job, a divorce or the arrival of a new baby, buyers who brave the elements are usually serious and able to make quick decisions.
Laine Edathikunnel, 35, and her husband Tom purposely started their search for a home this winter in the hope that it would give them a competitive advantage. “Historically, there are fewer people looking to buy homes in the winter,” says Laine, a communications manager for a construction company, who are searching for a home in the $500,000 to $600,000 range in Kansas City. “We knew that the inventory might be lower, but we also thought that competing offers would be less likely to happen.”
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How to Navigate the Cold Weather Market
If you’re planning to list your home yet this winter, here are some things to consider.
Warm it up. To encourage buyers to spend more time in your home, make it warm and cozy. Make sure the heat is on if the house is unoccupied. Consider lighting a fire or having a football game playing on the TV to create a subliminal message and make prospects feel at home.
Light it up. Winter days can be dark, dull and dreary, so make sure both your home’s interior and exterior are well lit. “This helps the home feel inviting and welcoming, even as the sun sets earlier,” says Dawson Boyer, owner and broker of Providence Hill Real Estate in Richmond, Virginia. Bright lighting outside also helps prospective buyers better spot icy patches and avoid falls.
Make it safe. Clear the driveway and sidewalks of snow and ice. That will not only improve the curb appeal of the home and make it appear well maintained, but it will make the property safer for visitors. To safeguard the interior of the home, provide door mats at the entrance and leave a note asking visitors to remove snowy boots. Disposable booties are often appreciated by visitors.
Document it. One of the challenges of trying to sell a home in the winter is that many of the exterior’s best features — flowers, shade trees, a playground or a wide expanse of fenced lawn perfect for a pup — aren’t visible. Provide spring and summer photos to your agent so they can be included in the listing — or have relevant photos on display in the home so prospective buyers can see everything it offers. Inspections can also be problematic in the winter because home inspectors won’t be able to check the condition of the roof, the pool or the air conditioning unit. Be sure to have documentation on hand to provide to the inspector that shows when these systems were installed, as well as their service history, so that buyers can confirm their age and the fact that they were maintained with care. If your house is heated by oil, also disclose the age of the boiler, the cost to fill it and how much fuel it uses each winter.
Minimize seasonal decorations. Consider hiring a professional stager who will eliminate clutter and arrange furniture and knick-knacks to help the home show in the best possible light. Stagers also advise sellers to remove personal items and photographs. Since the goal is to make the home as neutral as possible so prospective buyers can imagine living there, it’s wise to eliminate, or at least reduce, seasonal decor as well. According to Jessie Hoff, broker/owner of Century 21 JRS Realty in Clark, New Jersey, winter decor can work against sellers in another way too. “If a home does not sell before the tulips start breaking ground, you’ll have to update your marketing,” she says. “You don’t want your listing to look stale because of the photos of your holiday decor.”
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Five Tips for Selling Your Home in the Winter originally appeared on usnews.com
