If you’ve been pondering the prospect of a house move, make the most of financial incentives and sell your home this winter.
It’s been a year like no other, there’s no denying it. A year in which you’ve probably spent more time than ever at home. Pottering in the garden and completing home renovations during those first few sunny months of lockdown.
However, with winter drawing near, and the family spending more time indoors, those newly decorated walls may be starting to feel as if they’re closing in.
If your home is starting to feel a little full to the brim, don’t be tempted to put off the move until springtime. Spring and summer may well be the busiest times to sell, but we say, when did busier ever mean better?
With that in mind, we have selected our top reasons why you should consider selling your home this winter.
1. Financial gains: Stamp Duty holiday
Good news! With the housing market still strong, there is still time to take advantage of the Stamp Duty holiday, if you go on the market this winter.
Simply put, Stamp Duty is a fee paid when purchasing a home of £125,000 or more.
However, in a bid to boost both the housing market and the economy, Chancellor Rishi Sunak raised the threshold to £500,000. This means that properties worth less than £500,000 no longer need to pay Stamp Duty – a benefit felt by nine out of ten buyers.
In real savings, this means those buying a home of up to £200,000 could save up to £1.5k. For those purchasing a home valued at up to £250,000, the savings can jump to £2.5k.
Of course, holidays don’t last forever, and the Stamp Duty holiday is set to end on 31st March 2021.
While this springtime date may seem far away, it’s important not to forget about the time taken by conveyancing. Currently, the average time for the legal processes involved in a house sale are around 12 weeks.
The good news? You have until January to agree a sale in order to take advantage of these great savings.
2. Quality not quantity
While online might be a highway of activity during springtime, there is something to be said about a less densely packed marketplace.
With fewer homes cluttering up Rightmove over the winter months, your property is ahead of the competition and less likely to be missed or overlooked when it launches.
Home-seekers frequenting the listings during this period tend to be more serious about a move – particularly those who book viewings. After all, who wants to wrap up and brave the cold to view a house they’re only curious about?
The quality and commitment of viewers over this winter period is a cut above.
You may well clinch a sale over the festive period, with data released by Rightmove in 2019 revealing a record number of hits to its site on Boxing Day. For many seasonal buyers, ‘new year, new start’ is often the thought that is foremost in their minds.
3. Winter wonderland
In the depth of midwinter, your home has the potential to captivate passers-by with its cosy charm.
Make the most of the chilly weather by creating a sanctuary for viewers. Leave curtains open into the evening, with well-placed lamps switched on to create an enticing glow.
If you have a log fire, keep it lit, painting the perfect winter wonderland scene with smoke drifting from the chimney outside.
On viewings, a roaring fire will create a homely atmosphere for buyers, allowing them to visualise themselves returning home to a comforting warmth.
4. Greet them with a treat
Compensate for the dark winter evenings by preparing simple yet tasty treats for your viewers.
What better welcome on a wet winter evening than the aroma of freshly baked gingerbread? If baking isn’t your forte, why not simply buy pre-made cookie dough, or mince pies and gently warm them in the oven before the viewing?
If you don’t intend to be present, just ask your agent to offer the goodies. Even if nobody eats them, the gesture will be remembered, and your house will smell delicious.
After a year no one will ever forget, make sure next year is one to remember for all the right reasons.
With the Stamp Duty Holiday still available for the taking, now could be the perfect time to make that move.
Get in touch
If you’re thinking about selling your home this winter, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us an email at sales@wainwrightshomes.com or call us on 01204 773556 for a chat. We’d love to help you prepare for the next step.
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