Selling your home this fall

Selling your home this fall

Deciding to list your home during the cool fall season can create a few hidden benefits to your sale and can also help ensure you get top dollar for your property. Here are some advantages to listing your home in the fall.

While spring will always be a hot market for real estate deals, sellers are at one particular disadvantage over fall sellers. Curb appeal! Your foremost opportunity to make a great first impression, curb appeal during the fall season is almost effortless with well-maintained lawns and flourishing gardens looking fantastic after the growing season. As the season cools, some homeowners may invest less time in yard work. Discerning sellers can use this to their advantage, making their impeccably maintained properties stand out from neighbouring homes. In addition, cool fall weather is the perfect time to finish do-it-yourself projects, repaint window coverings and garages, stain the decks and repave driveways. Appeal to the season and plant bold fall colours. Selling a home is much like selling an image.

Selling your home can be a lengthy process; attracting buyers, arranging meetings and drawing up offers to complete the sale takes time. Fall schedules usually see people home from vacation and back into scheduled routines. This applies to both sellers and buyers. It can also apply to professional inspectors, appraisers and notaries you may need to hire to complete your sale. Back to their scheduled routines means they are able to complete work more quickly.

With kids back in school and out of the house all day, it’s also easier to keep your home spotless and ready for showings!

One final advantage of listing your home during the fall season is the presence of serious buyers. Often first-time buyers, retirees and people moving for career changes, fall buyers are well researched, eager and ready to commit to the sale. As winter gets closer, most buyers want to ensure they are comfortably moved into their new home before the holidays and the stormy weather begins.

How to make sure your home is winter ready

How to make sure your home is winter ready

The cooler nights and shorter days are a sign that it’s time to make sure your home is winter ready. We may not be able to predict what the winter will bring but we can definitely prep our home for whatever comes our way.

Seal the windows

Sealing the windows is a very important task and for good reason. With the cold months quickly approaching you’ll want to keep the elements where they belong…outside! To prevent icy cold drafts from coming through the windows you’ll want to get a good quality silicon sealant. By sealing the windows you’ll save money on energy bills as your heater won’t have to work as hard to keep the house warm.

Service the furnace

After resting for the warm months it’s almost time to put the furnace back to work but before you do you’ll want to make sure to service it first. Tune-ups help to make sure everything is in good working order to ensure the most comfort for you and your family throughout the winter. By staying on top of furnace maintenance you will increase its life span, catch any potential problems and in the long run save time and money.

Protect the pipes

Don’t forget to turn off all outdoor pipes and store away the hose. With below freezing temperatures, outdoor pipes can crack or even burst if left on during the winter. You’ll also want to make sure to store your hose properly too. All you have to do is drain it, coil it, and store it in a warmer area such as the garage or basement. If you forget to put away the hose, accumulated ice can create pressure in your pipes and cause some serious damage. To erase a major headache in the spring, be sure to include these simple tasks in your winter preparations.

Run fans in reverse

A great winter tip is to change the direction of your ceiling fan. By changing your ceiling fan to move in a clockwise motion (when you’re looking up at it) you will be creating an updraft. This helps the warm air that has risen to the ceiling to be pushed back down to those using the room. Don’t turn the fan up too high, a gentle and slow speed is all you need to do the trick.
By following these simple tips, you’ll enjoy a warmer and stress-free winter.

Autumn Clean Up Tips

Autumn Clean Up Tips

As the cooler weather hits and the garden growing season ends, getting your home organized inside and out is a must. Here are some easy fall clean-up tips:

Outdoors

  • For the yard, trim back overgrown and dead limbs in your hedges to protect them for the winter. Don’t forget to trim your trees, especially those close to the house, garage or shed.
  • Clear old plants and weeds from your garden bed or pots to make it easier for spring planting and keep insects at bay. If not using winterized pots, bring them indoors.
  • Clear leaves from the lawn, aerate and consider a fall fertilizing.
  • Decks and garden furniture will need a good cleaning and, if appropriate, staining. Don’t forget to properly store cushions and outdoor tablecloths so that they can be used again next season. Garden tools also need a good cleaning or wipe down before storing for the winter.


Indoors

  • Moving inside, plan and prepare before you start. Make sure you have reusable boxes and bags on hand and create some storage space indoors or out. If outside, make sure the space is sheltered.
  • Organize room by room. When swapping out seasonal clothes in your closet, take some time to make sure you still need or use each item. If not, recycle or donate it.
  • Keep in mind that you can donate unwanted clothing, textiles and small household items, such as small garden tools, instead of throwing them out.