Having worked with realtors for the past 34 years as a professional Toronto house painter, many agents have shared with me that selling your Toronto home in the winter does pose its unique challenges. There is always this idea that it is harder to sell a Toronto home in the winter than in the summer. Historically, that may be somewhat correct. But there are some real benefits in selling your home during the cooler months of the year.
Are you worried About Selling your Home in Toronto During the Winter?!
Should I sell my house in the winter? Should I sell my house now or wait until 2023? Will I get less money for it if I sell it in the winter? What is the best month to sell a house? These are all questions that we hear constantly from our clients.
There is no right or wrong answer to these questions, but we do want to provide some information that can help you make an informed decision about whether or not now is the best time for you to list your house for sale!
Many people believe that the best time to sell a house is during the spring or summer. This is not necessarily true!
Here are some reasons why it may make sense for you to list your house for sale in the winter:
- Lowest competition: With school out for summer, many people are vacationing and not looking for real estate. This means that you may have less competition when trying to sell your home during these times.
- Lower prices on upgrades: If you’re thinking about making improvements like painting, repairing floors, or adding new features, then it’s actually cheaper to do this work during the winter months due to lower construction costs!
- Less yard work: While this may not seem like a great reason to sell in the winter, it’s actually a good one! One of the biggest costs associated with home ownership is yard maintenance, especially if you have trees or bushes that need pruning. If your yard is looking extra lush because of all the rain we’ve been getting this year, then now may be an opportune time to list your house for sale.
- Lowest competition: With school out for summer, many people are vacationing and not looking for real estate. This means that you may have less competition when trying to sell your home during these times.
Preparing Your House to Sell on Winter
Steps can be taken to enhance the appearance of your home. This will make it more appealing to buyers looking for homes in the dry winter market. After all, the winters in the Toronto area can last months. Why not take advantage of this slower time period, and capitalize on selling your house?
Buyers trying to make up their minds between buying your home versus another house in Toronto might pick the one with a fresh coat of paint because it looks neater and more pleasing to the eye.
Here are some other things you can do to enhance the chances of selling your Toronto house:
STEP 1: Choose Your Paint Colours
• There is a limited amount of natural light available in the winter months, so it is important to keep the home as bright as possible. Lighter paint colours open up the living area and reflect more light.
• You may want to stick to lighter and more neutral colours. They cater to a wider range of potential buyers. There are four or five colours for interior painting that decorators and stagers recommend. Ask us about interior paint ideas so we can help you!
STEP 2: Preparation
• Especially when selling, it might be tempting to start rolling on paint. But the job is easier if you take the time to prepare your interior painting work. See our latest blog on “how to prepare your room before painting” for details.
• Repair any cracks or holes in the walls before interior painting. Use plaster or putty filler, and let it dry completely before painting. You might have lived with them for years, but small imperfections and cracks can look like big warning signs to potential home buyers.
• Remove any adhesives that might be on the wall or any sticky residue from pictures or wallpaper.
• Remove everything from the walls before you start to paint. Things as outlet faceplates, smoke detectors, television mounting brackets, or thermostats. Nobody wants a bright blue square on their wall where someone else’s TV was.
• Protect your furniture and floors with drop cloths.
STEP 3: Time to Paint!
• Cover up any water or nicotine stains. Odourless primer and odour-blocking paint can help with heavy-duty stains and smells that ordinary latex paint can’t cover. See our blog on “how to cover up smoke stains” for further details.
• Make sure you have the right brushes, rollers, and other tools to complete the job. We have lots of advice on our blog on “how to use a paint brush to paint your room”.
• Make sure you have enough paint to finish the job! Even if you are using the most basic neutral – white. There can be variations in a shade that will be very obvious once it’s on the wall. Also, when painting over a darker or richer colour with a light neutral, you will need three. Maybe even four or five coats to cover it completely.
STEP 4: Set the Scene
• Make the most of your new bright space by showing it off.
• Create more space by strategically placing furniture, or by taking out some pieces. I can promise that you haven’t started packing early enough. Getting your house ready to sell is just the nudge you need to get some boxes filled.
• Make your house a welcoming space, but one that doesn’t show too much personality. Even though it might hurt, take down family photos and personal mementos. Potential buyers want to feel like they’re standing in their own homes, not someone else’s.
• Finally, keep up the bright clean look. Sweep and mop more frequently than you usually do. Eliminate clutter and trash, and keep surfaces shiny and dust-free. Maintaining a clean house is easier than trying to make a dirty house sparkle in the last minutes before an open house.
That is how to prepare your house for selling in the winter, especially in the frigid Toronto and GTA! Keep it bright, take your time, and do it right.
So, why Is it better to fix up your house before selling?
In the real estate world, there is a saying: “First impressions last.” This is especially true when it comes to selling your home. The first thing buyers do when they walk into a house for sale is look around and make an assessment of its condition. If they see problems or signs of wear and tear, they may not be interested in seeing more because their budget won’t allow for extensive repairs.
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Keep in mind that if you don’t feel comfortable undertaking the interior painting job by yourself, or you just have too many other parts of your move to worry about, you can always contact us to do it for you. Over the 34 years, we’ve been in business, we’ve helped hundreds of people sell their Toronto Houses.
Please call us NOW at 416.494.9095 for a free Interior Painting quote, or email us any time at Brian@HomePaintersToronto.com. And don’t forget to follow us on all our social channels below as well!
