With the holiday season approaching, the summer buying frenzy is coming to a close. The leaves are turning, and pumpkin spice season brings in a new demographic of buyers. The difference between summer buyers and winter buyers is their motivation. 

Winter buyers are serious about finding a home. In cold regions and during the holiday season, people looking to buy a new home are highly motivated. Whether they are relocating due to work or school, or want a fresh start, if they're touring your property during the holiday season, they are serious about buying a home.

Preparing your home for sale during the holidays takes a different strategy than during peak season. Here are five ways to make your home stand out to serious winter buyers: 

1. More strategic marketing
2. Embrace the holidays (but not too much)
3. Stick to a competitive selling price
4. Increase curb appeal
5. Prepare your home for photos

Make Your Home Stand Out

Winter buyers mean business. If they are willing to spend their time during the holidays to look for homes rather than snuggled up next to the fire watching Hallmark movies, they really want a new home. This is advantageous to sellers as long as they have the right plan in place and are prepared for when the time comes.

1. Start with Strategic Marketing

Listing your home during the holiday season is slightly different than during peak season. Homebuyers typically like touring houses that have been freshly listed. This gives them confidence that there isn't an offer already on the table, and they're not wasting their time competing with other offers. 

Consider posting or re-posting your listing late the night before a popular touring day like Friday or Saturday. The serious buyers will be up in the morning looking for new listings to tour that weekend. If they see a new listing in their price range, they will jump on it quickly. 

Also, large listing websites are useful but don't forget about local marketing platforms as well. Whether this means sharing your listing on social media or posting it to a local newspaper or website, maximum publicity is the key. Serious buyers will be scanning multiple listing sites. Having more visibility may be what gets your home the proper attention. 

2. Embrace the Holidays [but not too much]

There's nothing wrong with getting in the holiday spirit. Decorating your house with warm tones is a great way to make your home feel cozier. If you have a fireplace, feel free to light the fire or some holiday scented candles to make it feel like home. 

Selling around the holidays is a great time to have some fun with your showings. You can play some holiday-themed music to set the mood or use some typical holiday decorations like centerpieces, wreaths, or fireplace decorations. Try to stick with generic themes, so the buyer doesn't get overwhelmed with the decorations. Too much clutter or eye-grabbing decorations can take the buyer's attention away from the home.

3. Stick to a Competitive Selling Price

Like we mentioned, buyers in the winter want to move quickly. They don't want to wait for the price of a home to come down. If it is priced too high, they will move on to other homes. In the summer, you might see bidding wars, or you can gradually take the price of a house down if you see less interest. Consider listing the home to sell in the beginning to get buyers' attention from the start. 

Another reason to list the home at a selling price is because fewer people are looking to buy. They are a different demographic of buyers who are looking to buy right now. If they see a home at a fair price, that could be all they need to make an offer. If you miss one serious buyer because your home is overpriced, you may be waiting a long time before another comes around. 

4. Increase Curb Appeal

Having an attractive front porch is so important when listing a home. This is even more important in the winter because buyers might drive around examining for-sale homes in your area. The front of your home might be what attracts or deters someone from calling the number on the sign. 

Not to mention, most listings include a photo of the front of the home with the description. Whether they are driving around or see it online, the front of your home will make the first impression. Don't rely on your interior decoration to attract buyers. When buyers have no time to waste, the first impression is crucial. Consider hiring a landscaper to touch up around your front porch, so it is as appealing as possible. 

5. Prepare the Interior for Photos

So the buyer swiped right on the image of your front porch. That's great! The next thing they will see is your interior. Preparing your home inside to accentuate your home's main attractions is how you secure a tour. So, how do you prepare the interior of your home to sell during the winter? 

You start by decluttering everything you have lying around. All of the extra things that you need to live take away from the extra space. It may feel cozy to you, but a home buyer might feel enclosed. Do your best to make the rooms feel open and spacious.

One way to make the rooms feel open is by rearranging your furniture. What is most functional for your family might not be what is most appealing to the eye. Consider moving your furniture around or even removing some extra furniture to make the room feel more open. 

Also, consider arranging the furniture in a way that would be good for pictures. Make a game plan ahead of time about where you want to take the photos from and what angles you'll use. This might help you decide where the best place to move the furniture as well.