Well, winter is has truly arrived. While we have not yet received our first blanketing of snowy white stuff we have lots and lots of wintertime darkness. This affects the way homes are shown in a big way. I was reading this post by a fellow Realtor Blogger Teresa Boardman in St Paul Minnesota, and thought I would add some of my own thoughts.
With so many vacant, distressed, and foreclosed homes on the market, this often means finding homes that have no no heat or power on at all. If you look at these homes anytime after 4:30pm, it’s probably going to be difficult to see much.
Buyers: Bring a flashlight. One of my lovely #1 clients gifted me a fancy Maglite for looking at foreclosures (Thanks, Lisa!) and it has been the greatest thing ever. You, your Realtor, and anyone else who comes along should each have their own. Most banks do very little to make sure these homes (some of which are halfway through a remodel and missing important things like walls and floors) are totally safe- and the added problem of darkness can make holes in the floor, nails, and various other dangers difficult to see.
Sellers: I know this is not the greenest suggestion, but leave some lights on. It always makes a positive impression on a buyer when you pull up to a house and it looks warm and inviting. I’m not saying every single light in every room in the house must be on (though that is always nice) but turning the Living Room, Kitchen, and Hallway lights on goes a long way to making the house seem bright and friendly on a dark evening. Also, try to make sure the temperature is above 60 degrees. As a lady who is always cold, I’d love it to be above 65 degrees. This is especially important if the house is vacant or if you are away on a trip. Buyers just don’t linger or pay close attention to details in homes that are freezing cold. If they are racing through in order to get back to heated seats in the car- you are losing out. Turn on the heat! Turn on the lights!
