What to Consider When Selling Your Portland Home in the Winter

Bucking Convention Portland-Style and Selling Your Home in the Winter

Portland is an incredible place to live, and the word is officially out – internationally. Because of this, people are still flocking here from all over the country to take advantage of our creative culture, our restaurant and arts scenes, our unparalleled access to the great outdoors and our mild Pacific Northwest winter weather. If you’re looking to sell your home in Portland this winter, all this attention is of course food news.

Portland enjoys a robust and fast-moving real estate market. one in which conventional wisdom - you can only get top dollar if you sell your home summer - doesn’t really apply. There are many buyers in the market, whether that’s first time buyers, people looking to upgrade or the many people moving to our region. It’s always a great time to sell your home in Portland!

But there are still things you must consider when selling your Portland home in the winter – especially if you want to maximize your return. 

Holiday Hangover Drags On

Most people know you don’t want to list your home in December because of the holidays (who has time for home tours on top of holiday parties and gift shopping?). It’s a very busy time of year.

But them January hits, and the skies do not open up for real estate. People are in a holiday hangover that leave them short on time as they work to catch up on their jobs and life. Many people also opt for new year’s resolutions that may eat up a little of their free time.

Then we have February. Things are starting to look a lot better in February. Everyone seems to have such a busy schedule these days that no one time of year is perfect and it will vary from buyer to buyer. But once you hit February 1, the market starts looking a lot brighter.

Help Your House Combat the Winter Doldrums

Homes brightly lit both inside and out can help combat the dreariness of the season. Be sure to keep the exterior tidy and free of fallen branches and wet leaves. Your garden won’t be blooming in all its glory, but take the time (or hire someone) to tidy it up anyway. Showcase the potential of your garden!

The Portland Weather and Weatherization

The good news is that standard Portland winter weather does not generally present a problem when it comes to effectively showing a home. Portlanders tend to be pretty blasé about fifty degrees and drizzling, and are used to the diffuse light and short days of a Pacific Northwest winter. 

That said, any days that deviate from fifty-something degrees and drizzling can put a damper on the buyer traffic. Harsh weather (snow or ice, even temperatures below freezing without precipitation) can shut the city down completely. And, when the sun comes out and the mercury doesn’t drop, everyone takes advantage by gardening, going for a hike, hitting the slopes, or at the local park.

Finally, a Word About Pricing 

Lastly, let’s talk about how selling your Portland home in the winter months can impact your ability to get top dollar for it. If you are trying to sell a fixer, you may wish to wait until the weather gets a bit better and people break out the (rose-colored) sunglasses. The thought of home repairs in the rainy season is rather daunting to most homeowners, even if they don’t plan to live in the space during the remodel.

And, let’s be honest, people here are a little bit cheerier in the summer months. That means they may be more likely to overlook minor flaws that would otherwise be dealbreakers, or might warrant owner repairs.

Your Urban Nest agent can work closely with you to determine the right price for your listing. Our agents are all well trained in the latest trends and the market. We regularly offer our agents a variety of workshops, clinings and trainings to ensure everyone truly knows the state of the Portland housing market, and can best represent you through the entire process.

 

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