home sales

Home sales tips for Florida means selling to snowbirds. Snowbirds are people who come from a northern snowy climate for the sunny weather of Florida in the winter.

The snowbirds are coming! The snowbirds are coming! And they are looking for a home to buy. So selling yours makes sense. Home sales in the fall, selling in the “off selling season” makes a lot of sense just because of snowbirds.

No, snowbirds aren’t actually birds. The term was coined as a play on the idea of migratory birds who head south when the weather farther north turns cold. That’s exactly what “snowbirds” are: people who head south for the winter. They are typically retirees or business owners who have a second home in a warmer location. If they own a business it may be a seasonal one in the colder climate; think business on the boardwalk on the Jersey Shore, or whose business can be easily moved from place to place; think direct sales or something similar.

While some RV it for the winter, most rent or buy a second home in the warmer place. While snowbirds used to be more wealthy people, today because of taxes, they sometimes move and make their “permanent” residence in the state with the most beneficial tax code. For whatever reason, there are a lot of them! If they don’t already have a home, they will be looking for one.

This is where the benefit of a snowbird comes in for you, the seller. If you are considering upsizing, keep in mind many snowbirds are downsizing. They want smaller, less work so they can be more relaxed over the winter. That is the biggest thing for you, the seller, to keep in mind. They generally want a project free home. So, fix things, update and sell it!

A home sales tip for you means that NOW, before and during Thanksgiving and Christmas, is the time to list. Many stay “home” with family for the holidays and then head south. Having your home available as they arrive can be the difference between selling and waiting until next year.

The trick in selling your Clearwater home is making a great first impression. In Clearwater or wherever your real estate may be, the first rule of home sales is make sure their first look doesn’t turn them off.

Curb appeal

Curb appeal is the obvious place where first impressions are made. Walk outside and look at your home. Does it look old, beat up, in need of some TLC? What about the gardens and landscaping?

Make a list of all the things that need some help and get them done. Mow the lawn, weed the gardens, trim shrubs, plant some new flowers to add some color. If you have a porch, clean it up. Have your home power washed. If trim, doors or porches need paint, paint them. If siding is looking worn out, redo it. If windows need replacing, replace them.

All of these updates will make your home look fresh and loved. Plus new siding and windows will make the home more energy efficient, which is something buyers will love.

Have a friend check for smells in your home

Next, have a friend walk into your home, and through it, and tell you how it smells. You live there and are probably “nose blind” to how it smells. However, prospective buyers aren’t. If you have pets, how obvious is it by smell? What about food odors? Smoke?

Scent is the most powerful sense and bad smells can make a home that looks perfect, unpleasant and unsellable. A really thorough cleaning, replacement of carpeting and curtains and of any damaged areas that can’t be de-scented should do the trick. Then keep pets out, smoke outside and don’t cook with things that will make your house smell.

Clean and clutter free

Clean and clutter free homes are also important. Making the living areas, all of them, but especially the ones that are seen the minute you walk into the house, look spacious and clean is exceptionally important. Take time to clean from ceiling to floor everywhere in the home, pack up a lot of the items that might make things look cluttered and lighten up your house.

Buyers will buy if you give them a great first impression. Want more information about selling your Clearwater home? Give us a call today! 727-410-0336