Canadians truly have a love/hate relationship with the winter. For some people, plunging temperatures and snow and ice can not come fast enough. The colder, the better! It means prime conditions for skiing, ice skating and crisp hikes on the frozen trails. Some people love the frigid weather so much that even shovelling the snow doesn’t faze them! 

Others are willing to settle down to grin and bear it for the season, consoling themselves with cozy nights in watching movies and sipping hot chocolate. All the while, they’re counting the days until spring arrives. 

Then you have the snowbirds who take off for the entire season to bask in the warmth and sunshine somewhere in the tropics or overseas. This was once something only the wealthy could afford to do. However, if you’re a homeowner in the current market, chances are that you are more financially abundant than you realize. High housing prices here and the affordability of many other countries open up many possibilities. The question becomes, should you cash out and sell your house to live elsewhere?

Signs the Snowbird Life Is for You

It’s one thing to not look forward to the slush and snow. Many of us wish we could hit the fast-forward button until the grass grows and buds begin to bloom. However, you might be ready for a change if you find the dread of winter kicks in earlier and earlier each year. Here are some other signs that you are destined to head to warmer climates before the cold temperatures hit:

• Your house feels big and empty, and you no longer need so much space.
• You feel like there are a million other things you’d rather do than take care of a large property. All the same, you don’t feel the call to apartment or condo life, either.
• You’ve owned your home for a long time and have built significant equity.

Above all, you spend your days dreaming of the warm sun on your skin and the feel of sand under your feet. If you are currently retired or getting close, the possibility of a whole new way of life could be just around the corner. Or, with the current trend of remote work, you could become a snowbird during the prime of your career. Wherever you’re coming from, the first step to making your vision a reality is to sell your house at the highest amount the market will allow. If the price is right, your retirement and globetrotting adventures can begin sooner than you may have thought possible.

Looking for simple ways to improve your results when selling your home? The posts below will give you some ideas:

• A Back to Basics Guide to Maximizing Your Sale
• The Power of Staging When Selling Your Home
• Minor Upgrades, Maximum Results

Preparing for a Successful Sale

Getting your house ready for the market often seems like a monumental task, but it doesn’t have to be. Massive upgrades are not necessary for most listings. Instead, you can focus all of your efforts on a single principle: the better your house looks, the more it’s likely to earn. And you might be astounded at what a few minor tweaks and upgrades can do.

• Cleaning from top to bottom provides the foundation for a complete home makeover, especially when you pay attention to areas that don’t get cleaned as often. Wipe down the baseboards, shine the mirrors, scrub the bathrooms and don’t forget about the insides of closets and cupboards. The transformation, along with a higher selling price, will be well worth the time and effort it takes!
• Focus on the outside of your home. Most homeowners spend all of their attention on the interior when they really should be sprucing up the yard and entranceway. If you only get one chance to make a first impression, the time to do it is before a potential buyer even opens the door. Mowing the lawn, cleaning up any debris and storing garbage and recycling bins are a must. To enhance the effect, consider adding a garden or seasonal decor.
• Take a few days to paint and perform minor repairs. These can go a long way towards making your home appear modern and well looked after. Your local real estate agent can recommend professional contractors if you don’t want to do the work yourself.

Once you’ve completed all of these background steps, consider staging your home. Done right, this entices buyers by encouraging them to see your home as their home. Studies indicate that staging can help you enjoy a faster and more profitable sale, and these extra funds will come in handy during your travels in the sun!

When Is the Best Time to List Your House?

When to sell a home is one of the most frequently asked questions we get from homeowners. Should you wait for the spring or fall markets, which are traditionally the busiest? Or should you jump into the market right now while competition and prices are high? When you’re looking at outside factors, this is a tough question to answer. Real estate is unpredictable, and even the experts can’t say what direction the market will go.

Fortunately, even a volatile market can hold many advantages if you know how to position your home and negotiate. That’s just one more reason to have an experienced real estate team by your side. When you can feel confident of the outcome regardless of current conditions, you can sell your home when the time is right for you.

Want to know more about how an experienced real estate team can help you? Check out some of our related reading below:

• Fact Vs Fiction About Working With A Real Estate Agent
• FSBO vs Real Estate Agent Assisted Sales: What’s Better?
• Our Full-Service Real Estate Team’s Guide to Marketing Your Home

Why Enlist the Help of a Real Estate Team?

When houses are selling quickly at unprecedented prices, it can be tempting to try to list without a real estate agent. Well-meaning friends and family members often encourage this route because it allows you to save on commissions. But be sure to factor in the expense and effort of preparing your home, analyzing the market, advertising your listing, negotiating with buyers and evaluating offers. 

The services of a concierge real estate team are well worth it in the end. Studies show that agent-assisted sales typically earn far more than owner sales, which is critical when you’re depending on those results to plan and fund your next journey. You’ll enjoy a transaction that is less stressful and requires far less hard work on your part. 

With the help of a local expert, you’ll be ready to handle anything this challenging market can throw at you so you can be on the plane well before the snow flies.

Do you want to know more about selling your home in today’s fast-moving market? Reach out today or call 905-332-9223 for more information or to start your next adventure.