5 To-Dos and Sell Your House While on Winter Vacation!

November 30, 2017 scroll to read ...
Your Home is on the market and ready to sell-it could be snapped up any day now, but you have a vacation coming up or would like to take a trip out of town. So what do you do?

GOING ON WINTER VACATION WHILE YOUR HOUSE IS ON THE MARKET?  

 

Two major vacations you will have in a year. Summer vacation and winter vacation.   Your home is on the market and ready to sell – it could be snapped up any day now, but you have a vacation coming up or would like to take a trip out of town. So what do you do? Unlike Summer vacation, you have a couple of more things to think during the Winter vacation.

 

1. Consult your real estate agent “Communication is at the center of real estate,” Good communication between you and your real estate agent is key. Be upfront and tell your agent that you’re planning a vacation, well in advance. Your agent can tell you your options and help you develop a plan for how to handle any queries or issues in your absence.

 

2. Develop a plan of action. Once everyone on your home-selling team is on the same page, make sure you’re aware of what is expected of you and make sure you have a proxy or a clear set of instructions from your real estate professional. The real estate transaction centers on the negotiation. It is during the offer negotiation process that communicating accurately and in a timely manner is absolutely important

 

3. Prepare your home before you leave, make sure your home is set to make a great first impression. Stage your home inside and outside. And if you have pets, placing them in a pet hotel so your real estate professional and housekeeper won’t have to worry about them when entering your house may be a good idea.

 

4. Don’t forget about security Call your security provider to let them know you’ll be out of town. “Burglars often target unoccupied homes. Therefore, whether you’re gone for two weeks or two months, it’s important to make it seem like you never left,” 

 

Especially in Winter time,  you have to check these thingsfor your home

• Unplug all unnecessary electrical devices to avoid any small risk of fire.

• Clean out the refrigerator, freezer, sink traps and garbage disposal to minimize any offensive odor

• Turn down the heat to around 60 degrees to keep the pipes from freezing.

• Turn off the water supply. Leave one faucet open on the lowest level of the house to allow air and excess water to drain

• Turn off the water heater or lower the temperature to save money

• Enlist a friend to care for your home in your absence 

And stop your mailing service. For showings, give your real estate agent a separate alarm code for the house and ask that a list of visitors is maintained so you know who enters your home at all times. Also, ask your agent to ensure all windows and doors are locked before leaving the home.

5. Homeowner’s insurance up to date. Check your homeowner’s insurance to make sure it’s up-to-date and your coverage is comprehensive and includes personal liability coverage.

 

In fact, this is a great opportunity for your real estate agent to schedule multiple showings because with you out of town, your house will be like a model home. Keeping this in mind, you can relax and enjoy your vacation knowing that you’ve left your home in the care of competent professionals who have your best interests at heart.  


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