Showing Your Home During the Rainy Season

While it can be almost pleasant to have your home shown in the summertime—since we all enjoy a nice tidy home and more excuse to be outside—but showing your home in the wet seasons can be uncomfortable for you and uninspiring for prospective buyers.

There are two aspects to this home showing that you should plan for when your home is on the market during these wet gloomy months; first there is the problem of buyers looking at your home during a dark dreary season and the second is the problem of prospective buyers tramping through your home after being out in the weather.

There are some easy ways to brighten up your home for winter home tours that won't break your budget. One of the easiest ways to brighten up just about any room is by using diffused lighting; place lamps in the dark corners of your home that you want to brighten up and reflect the light off the walls or ceiling by aiming the lights there. This gives your room a nice bright glow without harsh directional lighting. You may also want to use brighter bulbs in some areas of your home which aren't bright enough in the fall daylight.

Mirrors hung on the wall can also help brighten up a dreary dark space. Large mirrors in pretty frames hung on the wall can add an elegant focal point to a room while helping to move light around and creating the illusion of a larger space. Light colored paint can also help to bounce light around a room too.

It's also a good idea to let in as much light as you can for any tours that take place during daylight hours; use sheer window coverings to let in maximal amounts of light so that your home doesn't feel like a cave.

To help protect your home from the elements when prospective buyers are touring your home consider some ways that your home might benefit from a few proactive measures. If the entranceway is exposed to the elements, you will probably want to make sure that agents and clients have space to put their wet shoes, coats, and umbrellas so that they aren't dripping all over your floor. Set up an area by the door where people can put these items so that they see what's expected. Make sure that your home is warm for when buyers are coming through so that it feels welcoming to them as well; a cool home tour when you're wet from the weather is far from welcoming.

As always, when you know that prospective buyers will be touring your home it's always a good idea to have the smells of beverages and fresh baking in emanating from your kitchen; even better if it's accompanied by the baking itself to tempt agents and their clients to linger a little longer.