Why Fall Is a Great Time to Purge
The winter months have been given a bad rap regarding preferred listing times for a potential seller. Spring and summer indeed have a greater chance of showing off curb appeal and outdoor spaces, but potential buyers focus on winter month purchases for many reasons. The most important thing that any realtor will tell you to do to prepare to list is to do some purging.
If you are a summer lover like me, as many Ontario residents are, project-based indoor work usually happens during the cooler months when we are caught indoors more with less to do.
I call October my favourite purging month! I love to go through all the closets at any time, but if you are considering selling your home, it is a great chance to clear out and begin the staging process. As a staging OCD realtor, I can tell you the most gratifying part of staging is the purging. So I am a purging fan.
Once everyone is settled back into school, work responsibilities and routines, the weather cools, the sun sets earlier, the leaves seem never ending and the grey days seem to increase I find myself inside for more extended periods, so tackling spaces to get things done is easier to get motivated for during the cooler months. October may be cool and start get gloomy near the end of the month, but at least we aren’t in full-blown cold, snow and ice season. Treks to the dump or charity bins are much easier before the winter weather hits us in full gear. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Another reason why purging is so beneficial in the onset of cooler weather is to make a clutter-free environment to prepare for the holiday season in December. There is nothing like purging and finding space for holiday ornaments while we are pulling them out at the time. If you think you will be potentially selling your home in the New Year, take ruthless inventory to keep only the holiday decorations you love and that will go with you wherever you may go. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
With the upcoming holiday season also comes a focus on underprivileged needs. A lot of your unwanted belongings could be someone else's treasure. If you have donations to give or gently loved items to sell on Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace, you may be helping another family to get a new gift under the tree.
The other reason why purging may be a brilliant idea in Autumn is for the potential unexpected opportunity you may have to sell your house. Homes listed during November and December sell quickly, and it is easy to understand why. Maybe people searching for homes in late Autumn want the deal done quickly to avoid real estate over the holidays. If you dream of a quick sale and are motivated to get settled before the end of the year somewhere new, this is the time you will get motivated and serious buyers.
Potential buyers are more likely to be willing to search for a home during the cooler months of the year. It may be a myth that the summer months are the best time to search for a home. In fact, the majority of buyers do not have children and schooling to consider and don’t want to spend their summer weekends house-hunting when there are usually so many other leisure activities and events competing for our summertime weekends. It is also a feasible notion that new home owners prefer the Winter months to get settled in, so when Spring rolls around, they are ready to tackle the outdoor maintenance responsibilities and have time to become more neighbourly and meet people.
The other true advantage of late Autumn purging preparation and selling is that internet searching is commonplace for early cold and dark evenings. Sometimes it is the most enjoyable activity that results in a decision to sell. So why not just be ready for that spontaneous jolt to move forward with your life and finish it with an event you will remember forever. A new home purchase.
The main point is to be ready. October may be the best time to tackle purging projects and then relax on your computer on Realtor.ca. Who knows what your year-end may hold in store for you!
