Sold by Christmas

Sold by Christmas

Our hints and tips for selling your home in the festive season

There is something about a home in December. The lamps go on before four o’clock, the heating ticks over, there is a wreath on the door and the smell of something good drifting from the kitchen. It is the time of year when a house feels most like a home, and that is exactly why it can be a lovely time to sell one.

Many people assume the property market switches off once the Christmas lights go up. It doesn’t. It simply gets quieter, and the buyers who are still looking tend to be the serious ones: people relocating for a new job in January, families who want to be settled before the next school term, and buyers who have already sold and are ready to move.

Timing still matters. Across Scotland, homes are currently taking an average of 34 days to find a buyer, according to Rightmove’s October figures. So if you would love to have a sale agreed before you sit down to Christmas dinner, mid-November is the moment to act. Here is how to give your home the best possible chance.

1. Get your Home Report under way now

In Scotland, your Home Report needs to be in place before your home can go on the market, and the survey, energy report and property questionnaire take a little time to arrange. Booking it this week rather than next can make the difference between launching in November and launching in December.

2. Price for the buyers who are looking today

December buyers are decisive, but they are also careful. They compare every home on Rightmove before they book a viewing, and they know the value of what they are seeing. A well-judged “offers over” price, grounded in your Home Report and in what has recently sold nearby, will create interest from the first weekend. An ambitious one risks your home sitting on the market into the new year, and buyers notice.

3. Make the most of the short days

Most winter viewings happen in the dark or the half-light, so let your home glow.

• Lights on, everywhere. Switch on lamps in every room before a viewing, including the hall and landing. Warm light makes rooms feel bigger and more welcoming.

• Warm it through. Put the heating on an hour before viewers arrive. A chilly house makes buyers wonder about running costs.

• Light the way in. Make sure the path, driveway and front door are well lit, and keep steps clear of leaves and ice.

4. Decorate, but gently

A few festive touches help buyers picture themselves celebrating in your home. A whole grotto does the opposite. Choose a tree that suits the size of the room and doesn’t hide a fireplace or a lovely window, keep decorations to one or two spaces, and resist the temptation to cover every surface. You want buyers to notice your home’s features, not your bauble collection.

5. Think carefully about your photographs

Your photographs will be on Rightmove long after the decorations come down. If you can, have them taken before the tree goes up, so your listing still looks fresh in January. A twilight photograph, with every window glowing against a deep blue sky, is one of the most striking images any home can have, and winter is the perfect season for it.

6. Don’t forget the garden

Gardens in Bearsden, Milngavie and the Campsie villages are a big part of what buyers fall in love with, even in winter. Sweep up leaves, cut back anything straggly, add a couple of evergreen pots by the door, and consider a string of outdoor lights. A tidy garden in December tells buyers the house has been well cared for.

7. Be as flexible as you can with viewings

With shorter days and busy diaries, buyers often want to view at weekends or in the early evening. The more slots you can offer, the faster your home will find the right buyer. If you are busy with work or family, let us host viewings for you.

8. Have your paperwork ready

Once a buyer is found, the legal work begins. Gather your title deeds, any guarantees and warranties for work you have had done, building warrants and completion certificates, and factor details if you have them. Having everything to hand helps your solicitor move quickly once an offer is accepted.

9. Be open about your entry date

Agreeing a sale before Christmas doesn’t mean you need to move before Christmas. Many sales agreed in December have an entry date in the new year or the spring. Talk to us about the timing that suits you, and we will make it part of the conversation with buyers from the start.

10. Keep the welcome warm

Small touches count. A fresh, subtle scent rather than an overpowering candle, fresh towels, a tidy entrance hall and somewhere for viewers to leave wet shoes. Buyers remember how a home made them feel, and in December, that feeling is cosy.

And if Christmas comes first?

Not every home will sell before the festive break, and that is fine. The weeks after Christmas are traditionally among the busiest of the year for buyers, so a home that is ready, beautifully presented and well priced will be in a strong position whichever way the calendar falls.

Thinking of selling this winter?

If you would like to talk through your plans, we would love to help. Book a complimentary valuation and we will give you honest, local advice on pricing, presentation and timing, whether you are hoping to sell before Christmas or planning a fresh start in the new year.

Call us on 0141 955 2105 or email team@wrightsofcampsie.co.uk.