Selling your home in Autumn: 5 Simple Tips for Sellers
Nothing spells home comfort quite like the letters A.U.T.U.M.N, a word that ends in a hum of cosy contentment. Is autumn a good time to sell a house? We think so…
As the evenings draw in, the tinge of moisture hangs in the air and summer holidays become a distant memory, our attention naturally turns inwards and indoors. With chimneys swept and log burners set ablaze once more, late-evening sunshine is replaced by the glow of embers in the hearth and thoughts begin to turn towards where we might spend Christmas and the year ahead.
For sellers, that makes autumn an important window of opportunity. September and October traditionally bring renewed energy to the property market as buyers return from their summer holidays and children head back to school for a new term. Rightmove’s long-term data shows a typical September asking-price uplift of around 0.6%, followed by an average 1.1% rise in October over the past decade, so it’s no cliché to say that Autumn is the season of change. When it comes to our homes, it seems this is the time of year when many of us feel ready for a fresh start.
Spring may traditionally be considered the prime selling season, but autumn isn't far behind. Rightmove data shows only a small gap between the proportion of homes listed in April and October that go on to find a buyer, while Zoopla ranks September and October as its second-busiest period of the year for sales agreed.
All well and good, however it must be said that selling at this time of year does call for a slightly different approach. The bright, shiny appeal of a home photographed in all the vibrant colours of June needs a little more thought and attention once the leaves begin to fall and daylight hours shorten. Here’s how to harvest the best from this season – and your home – with a few simple, practical tweaks that won’t cost the earth or eat into your time but could help get those viewers through the door.
1. Keep it seasonal
Still sporting spring blossom in your opening photograph even though the leaves are falling outside? Buyers are more observant than you might think. Ask your estate agent whether your lead images still feel current. It may not require an entirely new photoshoot; simply changing the order of your images or replacing an obviously seasonal exterior shot can give your listing a fresher feel. Don’t let your photographs give away how long you’ve been for sale!
2. Turn the clocks back to your advantage
Make the darkness work in your favour. Shorter days are not bad news for sellers, not necessarily. Harness the dark outside to create the ultimate cosy sanctuary within. Autumn is a season designed to showcase just how enticing and embracing a home can be. Sell the atmosphere and selling your home won’t be far behind. Think glowing lamps in windows, the warmth of a well-lit kitchen at teatime and the enchantment of a fireside setting on a crisp October evening. Ask your agent to identify the rooms that come into their own at this time of year, and work with their photographer and stylist to ensure the photography and viewings showcase them in their finest light.
3. Set the scene for Christmas yet to come
Don’t worry, we aren’t suggesting Christmas trees in October, but Autumn buyers are definitely going to be picturing being settled into their new home by Christmas. Help them visualise the scene. Where would the tree go? Is there room for everyone around the dining table? Is the kitchen made for entertaining? You don't need a bauble in sight, instead, create a little breathing room. Take your inspiration from the trees by shedding that which no longer serves you. Clear the obvious spot for a tree, declutter the dining area and keep kitchen worktops free from chaos. This isn’t about showcasing your Christmas to buyers, more leaving enough space for them to picture theirs.
4. Let autumn expose your home's USP
How many times have you heard someone mention ‘in autumn, after the leaves fall – we have the best view of the lake/sea/hills….’? Well, I’ve heard it a lot – and this is where autumn can really come into its own. While we tend to associate the season with darker evenings, the shedding of summer foliage can actually open up views, bring more light into the home and reveal aspects of a property that remain hidden for much of the year.
So, instead of trying to disguise the season, ask yourself: what actually gets better about my home in autumn?
That inglenook fireplace suddenly becomes a major selling point; the boot room comes into its own after a muddy Sunday walk; and an outdoor kitchen demonstrates that the garden isn't only for summer. Underfloor heating becomes a physical sensation of welcome warmth rather than an abstract footnote on a brochure description.
Ask your estate agent what they think becomes more appealing about your home in autumn – and then check that your photographs, property description and viewing patter are actually selling it. Think a clean pair of Hunter wellies strategically placed in the boot room, a basket of logs beside the fire or a throw draped over the garden-room sofa. Sometimes making more of your home's seasonal USP requires no change to the property at all; just a change in how you market it.
5. Get to know your home’s ‘golden hour’
Every home has a time of day when it looks and feels its best – and in autumn, as the sun sits lower in the sky and daylight hours shorten, that window can become even more important.
If your garden is spectacular at 2pm, steer viewings there. If the kitchen fills with low afternoon sunshine at 4pm, exploit it. And if your home becomes wonderfully atmospheric after dark, with lamps glowing and the fire lit, an evening viewing might actually work to your advantage (and your viewer’s!).
Keep a journal of the times of day when your rooms look at their most ‘golden’ and pass it on to your estate agent. After all, if you know your sitting room looks dark and cold at 10am but warm and inviting at 3pm, why photograph it in the morning?
Whether your home has been on the market throughout the summer or you’re only now thinking about selling, a change of season is the perfect opportunity to look at your marketing with fresh eyes.
Already on the market? Sit down with your estate agent and go through the points above with them. Are obviously summery photographs beginning to date your listing? Is your strongest image leading the way? What feedback keeps recurring after viewings? How does your asking price compare with newly listed competition? And does your property description make enough of those features that really come into their own at this time of year?
Preparing to sell? Have the same conversation before your home goes live. Think about the best time of day for photography and viewings, the features autumn buyers are likely to appreciate and the lifestyle your photographs and property description need to convey. A little strategy at the outset costs nothing but could make all the difference.
Selling in autumn doesn't have to mean repainting the front door, installing a firepit in the garden, restyling every room or spending a small fortune preparing your home for market.
Instead, take a look through a seasonal lens – and ensure sure your estate agent does too.
After all, when it comes to harvesting the best from an autumn sale, sometimes it's not your home that needs changing, just the way you sell it.
Whether you're preparing to sell this autumn or your home is already on the market, sometimes a fresh pair of eyes is all it takes. Talk to the team at Ingham Fox about how a few simple changes to your autumn marketing could help your home stand out to the right buyers.
