Autumn is a great time to sell a house

Although you may be tempted to take your home off the market now that school is back in session, don’t. While it’s true that some home buyers may time their purchases so they can be settled in their new homes once school starts, that’s not the case for everyone.

There are plenty of other people who buy homes in late summer, fall and throughout the winter. If you’re getting ready to sell your home in the off season, here are some tips from the National Association of Realtors.

Watch your curb appeal. Make sure your yard is clean and tidy. When your trees start to lose leaves, keep up with raking and ensure all walkways are free of leaves and debris.
Early autumn is the time to rent a leaf-blower, particularly if you have multiple deciduous trees on your lot.
A snow blower is a must in northern climes. Use it to keep walkways clear for potential buyers. If you don’t already own one, rent this vital piece of safety equipment when you advertise an open house in wintry weather.
Clean out your gutters, ensuring they are free from debris and draining properly. Otherwise, when the first hard freeze arrives, followed by a temporary thaw, you’ll have to dodge dirty water spilling over the sides of rain gutters.
Store your patio furnishings. Before you store them away, clean your patio furniture and arrange it nicely, keeping the view from indoors in mind. (Yes, you can dream about those balmy days next year or encourage a buyer to do the same!)
Keep it bright. Open blinds and curtains so plenty of natural light illuminates the home’s interior. Nothing sells a home like abundant natural light flooding into a room from spic and span windows. If you’ve got a break in the weather, rent a power washer to give your home’s exterior a quick refresh.