You have probably heard the conventional wisdom somewhere; don’t sell your Boston Beacon Hill condos or Boston Midtown condo in the winter. But, on the off chance that it hasn’t gotten to you yet, then here it is: “You should never try to sell your Boston condo in the winter. There aren’t any buyers. The weather will work against you,” they say.
Only this is Boston, where the conventional wisdom may be conventional, but it isn’t necessarily wise.
Selling your Boston condo in the winter
There are many reasons why selling a Boston Midtown condos during the winter season isn’t necessarily the uphill slog that it can be in many other places. The main reason for this is that Bostonian’s are incredibly tolerate of weather conditions.
Also, as you know, Boston winters are generally cold and wet – just doesn’t bother the locals who may be ready to relocate.
Challenges
But, selling in winter (even a Boston winter) can present some challenges. Here then, are some tips to make selling your Boston home – whether you’re in Beacon Hill or downtown Boston– go just a little easier. It mostly comes down to creating a welcoming, cozy, Boston-winter indoor environment. To do that, you have to compensate for a couple of things we all know and love about the winters in Boston
The Light (Or the Lack Thereof)
Okay. One of the first things you will have to combat is the seasonal dark that accompanies our shorter days at this time of year. Daylight hours are naturally shorter in the winter up here. And with rollbacks of the clocks back in early November, the sun starts to set right around four in the afternoon.
This can make presenting your Boston Beacon Hill home in all its welcoming glory a bit more challenging than it is when those summer days last past eight in the evening.
To combat shorter days and earlier nights (and the inevitable cloud cover) in Boston’s winter months, schedule your viewings for weekends in the late mornings and early afternoons. Lighten up your window treatments and make sure that any bushes or trees blocking the available light from entering your home have been trimmed back. Use an abundance of incandescent lights to brighten up your interior, while adding to the feeling of “warmth” in your home.
The Damp
There are years when we get lucky in Boston, and the constant drizzle – the damp that we’re all pretty well accustomed to – is interspersed between dazzlingly bright days. But anyone who’s lived through more than one or two Boston winters knows that you can’t count on a sun break just because you need one. Most of the winters here are long trips through a succession of damp days.
So because it is damp outside, it cannot feel even slightly damp in your Beacon Hill condominium. When showing a home during a Boston winter, it is imperative that you keep your Boston Midtown home well heated (though not uncomfortably so).
It is also imperative that you have prepped the environment of your Boston home so that any hint of the possibility of what comes with damp (mold and mildew) is not about to enter your prospective buyers’ minds.
Making Your Boston Home Cozier for the Sale, Both Indoor and Out
It goes without saying that your outdoor environment: your rood deck, the flower beds also need to be looking their very best for any winter showing. While your buyers won’t likely be spending much time in your outdoor environment.
Adding winter beverages and snacks during your open house is another great way to provide a cozy feeling to your prospective buyers – good luck, and when you’re ready to sell your Beacon Hill or Boston Midtown condo
