Spring and summer are thought of as the best time to sell and buy a home and winter to be the less optimal time to list or purchase. However, winter might be a great time to list your home if you are thinking of selling or searching for the right property to purchase.
Less inventory means less competition during the winter months. Buyers really don’t have the opportunity to be very selective like they can be in the spring and summer when there are more listings to choose from.
Winter brings out the serious, motivated buyers. In many cases, buyers looking for a home in winter are up against a deadline such as a relocation, expiring lease or a contract on their own home, change in financial situation, growing family, empty nesters, etc. For some, they may have been given a nice financial bonus at the end of the year or retirement payout putting them in a better position to purchase a new home.
People may have more time off during the winter to look at new properties thanks to various holidays. A three day weekend might be created for some because of President’s Day or MLK Day or they may just have extra time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day giving them more time to browse online or attend an open house or showing.
You can showcase your home’s winter-readiness features such as a south facing driveway that melts snow and ice a little faster, a well working furnace, or wood burning stove, etc. During the winter months, homes with extra features like a fireplace or a hot tub are certainly more appealing to potential buyers.
The average snowflake falls at about 1-6 feet per second. It can take up to two hours to fall from the cloud to the ground.
The largest snowman ever built was in Bethe, Maine, in February of 1999. It was 113 feet and 7 inches tall.
In New Zealand, the Weta insect will freeze completely solid when temperatures drop during the winter. When the temps warm up the bug will thaw out and resume its activities.
On February 17, 2007, Bismarck, North Dakota schools joined forces to create 8,962 snow angels at one time.
In Siberia, it gets so cold that your breath can turn into ice in midair.
The coldest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin is -55 degrees on February 4, 1996 in Courderay located in Sawyer County.
The greatest 24 hour snowfall total of snow in Wisconsin is 26 inches in Neillsville on December 27, 1904.
The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924 in the French Alps.
The earth is closest to the sun in winter.
Winter begins on December 21 and ends on March 20 in the Northern Hemisphere.
Several kinds of animals hibernate through the winter season. This allows them to survive when food is scarce and temperatures are cold.
The snowiest city is Aomori City in Japan. It averages around 26 feet of snow each year.
On December 4, 1913, 63 inches of snow fell on Georgetown, Colorado. This is the record for the most snow to fall in a single calendar day.
The most snow to fall over two days in the USA was 120.6 inches (just over ten feet!) in Thompson Pass, Alaska.
To be classified as a blizzard, a snowstorm must last at least three hours and produce large amounts of falling snow. Winds are usually 35 mph or more. A ground blizzard is when snow is not falling but snow on the ground is being lifted and thrown by strong winds.
The only state that has not seen a subzero temperature is Hawaii. The coldest ever recorded in Hawaii is 12 degrees on May 17, 1979 at the Mauna Kea Observatory, elevation over 13,00 feet.
Snow is not white. It is translucent. It appears white because of the light reflecting off of the sides of the snowflake.
Snowflakes need dust or pollen in the air to help them form. An extremely cold water droplet freezing onto pollen or dust creates an ice crystal. After that, water vapor freezes onto the ice crystal as it falls to the ground. This helps it build new crystals–the six sides of the snowflake.
Make sure that not only the driveway is cleared of snow and ice, but also any and all sidewalks as well. Driveways and sidewalks that are not shoveled could be a turn off not to mention a safety liability.
Have a place for people to take off their boots or shoes so they are not tracking snow or mud throughout the house. Area rugs or mats along with a bench or chair would be helpful for people to easily shed their shoes and have a place to put them.
If you have a working fireplace, make sure it is on when someone is being shown your home. It adds to the warm and cozy feeling of the house you are trying to sell.
Add some warm colors to help with the warm and inviting feeling of your home: toss pillows, throw rugs, seasonal decorations, a little greenery–all can help create that homey feeling.
Turn the heat up a little if needed. Make sure when someone is looking at your home, the inside is at a comfortable temperature.
Make sure the house smells good. Fresh baked cookies or treats, apple cider or cinnamon scents are very appealing and add to the warm and comforting feeling in your house. There are a number of simmer pot recipes that will help fill the air with a wonderful aroma.
If it’s around the holidays keep the decorations simple, tasteful and somewhat generic. Personalized stockings and ornaments should be tucked away for a showing. Less is more. Enhance your home’s features with what you decorate with. Keep it generic enough that potential buyers can see themselves and their own items in the home.
Put away any “draft stoppers.” They may be cute but could send a wrong message to potential buyers.
