There are so many enjoyable fall activities here in the Long Branch, New Jersey area. From carving pumpkins to lounging around the bonfire, autumn can also be a great time to enter the housing market. While there might not be as many interested parties as there are during spring and summer you may face less competition selling your home and motivated buyers may want to move into a new house before the holidays. Hi I’m Michele Irizarry CEO and Broker of Shore Prime Properties. If you aren’t already please be sure to like and follow Shore Prime Properties on YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. We post weekly content about the home buying and selling process, interior design ideas and DIY projects. Before potential buyers visit your home it can be beneficial to stage your house with fall inspired ideas to help it stand out.
Make use of light: As fall progresses and days grow shorter your home may lack natural light so make sure to provide plenty of additional lighting around your home as well lit homes will help the space look larger and more inviting. Go room to room and try to scope out any shadowy areas that could benefit from a lighting upgrade. You can leave your lights on timers throughout your home so that they shut off after the showing but make sure to regularly check your lamps and light fixtures and replace any burned out bulbs. If you’re looking to improve the light in certain rooms you might also want to consider painting the walls neutral paint colors such as white and gray are both excellent options that reflect light well. Don’t forget to leave on exterior lights to help guests get a better look at your home and yard if they’re there after dark. This will also allow warm welcoming lights to greet guests which will help to boost your curb appeal.
Turn on the heat: It’s imperative to keep your home as comfortable as possible during a showing especially in areas that have frigid fall days. If you’re getting ready for a showing try to keep your home’s temperature between 70 and 73 degrees. If it’s too hot the potential buyers may become sweaty and distracted. If it’s too cold they may worry that your heating system does not work well.
Emphasize being cozy: Fall is a season in which comfort is of the utmost importance. Use this to your advantage and accentuate your couch or armchairs with accent pillows and throws in an autumn color palette. Also place soft rugs around your home if it has hard tile or wood floors. If you have a fireplace stack some wood near it to help potential buyers imagine themselves warming up there. On a cool fall day you can even ask your agent to turn on a gas or electric fireplace before the showing to emphasize that homey feel.
Keep up the curb appeal: Summer might be over but there are still plenty of ways that you can make your outdoor space look even more appealing. Here are a few suggestions to boost your curb appeal:
- Patch any brown spots in your lawn – we definitely had some from the drought this past summer.
- Plant fall friendly flowers like heleniums, spider mums and pansies.
- Clean the gutters.
- Trim back plants or bushes.
- Add a new doormat.
- If you want to decorate the outside of your home a fresh pumpkin or two on your front porch can feel homey and add a pop of color. Just make sure that the gourd doesn’t start to show signs of rotting- which is a major turn off to potential home buyers.
Keep holiday decorating to a minimum: While you may enjoy decorating for Halloween or Thanksgiving it’s better to keep your decorations in storage when selling your home. An abundance of seasonal decor can be distracting and some items may even offend a potential buyer. Instead keep the decorating to a simple fall theme like an autumn inspired wreath or fall color palette.
If you would like a free copy of our Shore Prime Seller’s Guide, which is chock full of tips on how to prepare your home and yourself for the home selling process, message us today. I’m Michele Irizarry selling Prime real estate at the Jersey Shore.
