3 Tips to Sell Your Home This Fall

As temperatures dip and fall settles in with the promise of winter ahead, home owners need to pay extra attention to certain details in order to set themselves apart from the competition.


1. Maintain your landscape. Flowers aren’t exactly flourishing this time of year but sellers should still make the most of what they have. Adding fall flowers like mums to your front porch or deck is always a nice touch. More importantly grass should be cut at least once per week and leaves should be cleared as much as possible.

2. Keep your house warm. Prospective buyers will be turned off by a cold house, not giving it the chance it deserves. Spend the extra money to make your home as inviting and comfortable as possible. Also keep in mind that you don’t want it to be too warm because bundled up buyers will be uncomfortable and your utility bills will sky-rocket. I’d recommend keeping the thermostat set in the upper 60′s.

3. Let in the light. If your showing is during the day, open blinds, windows and drapes. If not, turn on all the lights in the home and brighten darker rooms by placing spotlights behind the furniture.

Fall is a great time to sell your home because a lot of prospective buyers are hoping to make a decision before the holidays. Take advantage of the fall market by pricing your home correctly and working with a licensed and experienced agent.

Source: "3 Tips to Sell Your Home This Fall" by Chobee Hoy, RISMedia

Prepare Your Home for Fall and Winter

Prepare your home for unpredictable weather conditions with our checklist for fall and winter home maintenance.
By Reader's Digest Editors  

With summer a fading memory, now’s the time to ready your home for fall and winter’s cooler temps and unpredictable weather conditions.

1. Clear out the gutters.
Remove leaves and other debris from your drainpipe and gutters to prevent clogging. In areas with cold winters, outdoor faucets should be drained in the fall.

2. Clean the fireplace and chimney.
You can clear out ash and charred wood from the fireplace yourself, but leave the chimney cleaning to a professional. Have the chimney cleaner check the damper to ensure it can be tightly closed to prevent drafts.

3. Check the heating system.
Do a survey of your home’s heating vents to make sure they’re not blocked or covered by furniture, carpeting, or curtains. Dust vents and clean all filters. Make an appointment for an annual heating system check-up.

4. Store air conditioners.
If you have removable window air conditioners, be sure to unplug them before taking them down. Dust and clean before covering or storing.

5. Check for drafts.
Stay warm, save energy, and reduce your heating bills this fall by examining windows and doors for cracks and sealing them to prevent drafts.

6. Put up storm windows.
If you have removable screens, now’s the time to clean, store, and replace them with storm windows.

7. Ready the water heater.
Prepare for cooler weather by draining the water heater and clearing out any debris that has settled in the tank.

Source: "Prepare Your Home for Fall and Winter", Reader's Digest