Holiday festivities are plentiful in Ann Arbor right now - it is one of my favorite times of year.  If your Ann Arbor area home is on the market, your holiday celebrations may feel constrained by the need to keep your home ready for a showing at a moment’s notice. You may have even had to replace some of your favorite holiday decorations with some less traditional, more neutral winter décor. Fortunately, your efforts to reach out to potential Ann Arbor real estate buyers could definitely pay off in the long run!  Did you know that wintertime home staging can be a key factor in selling your house faster and for more money?  We can help – our team has a talented and accredited Ann Arbor home staging professional on staff who can help ease this burden for you.

During the time leading up to the winter holidays, many of us refocus our priorities on home and family.  We experience a warm feeling of well being that is not always present throughout the year. The arrival of the New Year brings a sense of starting over.  Consequently, most of our Ann Arbor sellers and our agents who have sold a home during the holiday season remember the experience as a positive one.

We often find that real estate buyers in the Ann Arbor area are in short supply during this time of year, not only because of the holidays, but also because of the cold Michigan weather and snow.  However, some people have no choice but to purchase a home due to relocation or family changes – these buyers are serious.  My team has always found that Ann Arbor home sellers benefit by placing or keeping their home on the Michigan market during the winter months.  Sellers however may need to be more flexible in pricing and other areas of the negotiations, because buyers are in such high demand as there are far fewer homes on the Ann Arbor real estate market during the winter holiday season. The net result of all these combined factors really depends on the home and the potential buyer.  When your home offers the features and amenities that a potential buyer is looking for, you are more likely to sell it quickly in the winter than during the spring or summer buying season.

Your Ann Arbor home could just be looking its best this time of year.  Exterior blemishes might be hidden by a layer of fluffy snow and many of our front doors are probably adorned with a festive holiday wreath.  Imagine a beautiful Christmas tree peeking through your front windows and a fire crackling in the fireplace.  Or the delicious and traditional aromas of baking, pine, and other holiday aromas.  Over the years we have found that there is no better time to show your home to potential buyers than when you already are paying careful attention to your home’s appearance.  Think of it as doing half the work that you would need to do during the summer.

One great trick for selling your Ann Arbor area home during the winter is to use incentives.  If you can cover the buyer’s closing costs, or a portion thereof, you may attract potential buyers to your home by advertising this information.  We often advise winter sellers to offer a “decorating allowance” (a.k.a., a cash bonus) as an incentive for buyers during the winter months.  This is even sometimes referred to as a “landscaping allowance,” since the buyer will be unable to view the home’s landscaping until spring thaws the layer of snow that covers it.

The best news for Ann Arbor sellers who decide to place or leave their home on the market during the winter holiday season is that people rarely “browse” homes at this time of year. Most of our potential home buyers would prefer to be at home with family or out enjoying the many activities that Ann Arbor has to offer this time of year, so those who do visit your home are serious about buying it and are often in a hurry to do so.

This simplifies your job as a seller.  With serious buyers and an already festive décor, you are well on the road to selling your Ann Arbor area home!

Ask us for valuable insights and staging tips about wintertime selling in the Ann Arbor real estate market, we can also provide tips that can be useful for preparing your home for sale regardless of the season. Here at Kathy Toth and Team, we have experience with home sales throughout the year and know what attracts buyers in the Ann Arbor area.  If you are currently in the market for an expert in the Ann Arbor Real Estate Market, let us know, we can help!  We will be at our Keller Williams party Dec. 10th; wishing you good cheer.

Kathy Toth of Keller Williams Realty presents:
The Ann Arbor Real Estate Podcast

December 2008

This month’s edition covers Ann Arbor real estate market activity and then we’ll share three important tips for buying and selling in today’s holiday market.

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Related Links
Sellers Guarantee | Click here
Your Home Sold at a Price Acceptable to You or I’ll Buy It
Sellers Preferred Service| Click here
Receive red carpet treatment as you prepare to sell your home
How To Stage Your Home to Sell| Click here
Staging your home may get you up to 17% more

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Kathy Toth & Team: Ann Arbor Area Real Estate Experts

www.KathyToth.com

Keller Williams Realty

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