Selling in Summer

Selling your home in summer lets you show it off at its very best. But enticing prospective buyers in can be tricky, when many prefer to avoid attending open homes when it’s just too hot.  Many people believe it makes sense to throw open doors and windows to the breeze; others try to shut out the heat.

To really stay cool when the heat is on, you also need to think about what type of house you have, and what its surroundings are like.

OPEN HOMES

In a modern house the best advice is to shut up shop during the heat of the day, to keep the heat out. Then, throw open the windows from late afternoon onwards, as long as overnight temperatures are lower outside than inside.

The traditional “Queenslander” house has long been seen as ideally suited for hot weather. Such houses have great design features for cooling, including shady verandas and elevated floors.

Both the housing industry and occupants seem to have little understanding of the impact design and construction have on the temperature inside the building. As a result, air-conditioning is now seen not as desirable, but as a necessity.

Keep things watered and green as much as possible, particularly in the heat.  While you may be able to hide flaws in the gardens during winter, when buyers don’t want to spend too much time poking around in the cold winds and rain, we often see buyers spending as much time outdoors as they do indoors during summer inspections.  Do you have a great entertainment area, kids play area, or enough space for a good game of backyard cricket?  Make the most of your outdoor haven by setting the outdoor table as if you’re ready for a summer bbq, put the wickets and cricket set in place to show how much fun you could be having scoring a summer ton,  or leave a few kids toys out in the sand box.  Creating an enviable scene will likely do more for buyers’ first impressions than simply standing back admiring an expanse of empty lawn.

AUCTION

Set an appropriate time for the auction and have them early in the day, before the heat really kicks in.

Provide a jug of iced water and cups on the bench for buyers to help themselves.  It may just keep them around for longer, and will certainly leave a positive impression.

Have the air-conditioning “cranking”, not only for comfort, but to show potential buyers that feature of the home. Ensure curtains and blinds are open to let in as much light as possible, or turn on lights to brighten up darker rooms and create an impression of space.

Get rid of any smells, laundry and pets. In fact, anything that might take away from the fresh smell of summer needs to go!

It might be a bit uncomfortable, but if a house ticks all the boxes for a buyer, they will be there, hot or not.

If you are considering selling your home this summer and you’ve already found your next dream home, get in touch with our finance guru Adam from Loan Market about bridging finance while you sell your existing home.

If you’re thinking of selling over the summer months, we encourage you to contact our team.  We’d love to share our knowledge of the Spring Hill and Inner Brisbane market, and all our tips for maximising your home’s worth.