Fall can sometimes be a challenging time to sell your home. While it may be true that buyers tend to be in a better mood right in between spring and summer, there are still many ways to play the unique aspects of the fall season to your advantage.

Here are some useful techniques to gear your house up for a brisk fall sale.

Keep up with Lawn Care

Second to shoveling snow, raking leaves may be Canada’s least favorite chore. Unfortunately, keeping the yard tended during fall is paramount for preserving curb appeal. Keep leaf litter to an absolute minimum, get a really good leaf blower and avoid having giant leaf piles or bags of leaves showing if you can avoid it.

Another priority for fall yard maintenance is clearing out dead or dying plants. The first cold snap will usually be enough to kill of the majority of flowering and annual plants. Remove these hastily so that buyers will not have a chance to associate your yard with unsightly dying vegetation.

Fall also happens to be great time to visit a plant nursery, as they will most likely be having sales before closing up shop for the winter. Ask a sales associate about the plants that thrive the best in the fall, especially those that can carry color into the start of winter.

Create a Fall Theme

Many listing real estate agents have discovered that a subtle amount of appropriately themed décor can add a dose of whimsy and fun to a home showing. Do not take this sentiment as a sign to go plundering the surplus store, though. The effect can be diminished by not using tasteful choices or going overboard with decorations.

The idea is to stage your home using understated design choices that evoke a feeling of fall either through color or motif. Having a couple of ceramic pumpkins at the entrance way, for instance, can be enough to generate a positive reaction with buyers. Turning you abode into a fully-fledged haunted house? Not quite as effective.

Remember that less is always more and to change out the decorations if your sale slips past one holiday into the next, or you risk appearing to not be paying attention.

Another way to increase the allure of your home during fall is to try and add touches of “warmth,” such as a tasteful afghan draped across the master bed and a fireplace already stacked with split logs.

Be On Call

One of the biggest hurdles for a fall sale is the shortened daylight hours. Buyers will want to get to your Okotoks real estate property as soon as they are available, and they will be reluctant to linger past dark. Make sure that you can take the time out to prepare your home for viewing at the drop of a hat, or else you risk missing an important chance.

To find out more information about the selling process and how to make calculated decisions that increase appeal, start by looking at our selling page.