Contrary to popular belief, winter can be a good time to sell a home

The widespread belief that winter is not a good time to sell a home is very far from being true, says Rowan Alexander, Director of the residential property agency, Alexander Swart Property. Looking back on his own experiences as an agent, he says it is now clear that some of his best months were in mid-winter. He was at a stage (before moving into part ownership and management of Alexander Swart) the top selling agent in the national group to which the agency was franchised - and once during June month, he sold 26 homes. Other agents came quite close to matching this achievement. According to Alexander,  buyers tend to be "really serious" in winter and not just checking out the market and the neighbourhood. They are also quite frequently in a hurry to find a new home.

To ensure that prospective buyers get a favourable impression of the property that is up for sale, it is essential to start preparing the house weeks before, for viewing by others. All those steps, which the seller should have done regularly as part of a preventative maintenance but may have overlooked, should now be seen to:

•         gutters and drainpipes should be cleaned out and if necessary painted;
•         the roof should be checked for leaks and all known leaks dealt with;
•         shabby or old-looking walls and woodwork should be treated; and
•         carpets, furniture coverings and curtains should be cleaned, if possible by professionals.

If these and other essential tasks are not carried out now, says Alexander, buyers are likely to be put off. Complaints will almost certainly come in from the eventual purchaser, in the time that lapses between the signing of the sale agreement and the transfer. "You can have no idea how bitter buyers can be, if they find that regular preventative maintenance had not been carried out and some aspect of their new home is dysfunctional. Try hard to have the home you sell in excellent working order."

He adds that attention should also be given to the garden: every rand spent on tidying up and putting in replantings that will look good in winter, will pay for itself in imparting a well groomed and attractive appearance to the surroundings.  For many buyers, says Alexander, the state of the garden is the deciding factor in their reactions to a new property. "You simply cannot overdo your efforts to make a winter garden as welcoming as possible."

Equally important he says, rooms which are sunny and warm, despite this being the cold  season, should have their curtains drawn, be open to sunlight and made as welcoming as possible.  Those that are adapted to winter conditions and can easily be heated and made snug and cosy, should be prepared hours in advance of any potential clients' arrivals. If the home has a  fire place or a gas heater and the day is cold, make sure these have been lit and are working well in time for any visit.

Alexander says that Alexander Swart Property have noticed indicators, that this winter their sales could be high. Many potential buyers are just waiting to see the election out of the way and will then "jump in".  "As always in times of change and uncertainty, people postpone making big decisions until they see how the ground lies - but we know that many are now researching the markets in readiness for a move."

For further information contact Rowan Alexander on 082 581 3116 or  email on rowan@asproperty.co.za.