Selling Your Home This Autumn? Here's How to Make It Shine
Thinking of selling your home this autumn? With motivated buyers still active and less competition on the market, this season could be the perfect time to move. In our latest blog, we share six simple but powerful tips to help your home shine.
Autumn might not be the season that immediately springs to mind for selling your home, but it is, in fact, the perfect time of year for a number of reasons!
Buyers who are still active at this time of year are usually serious, very motivated, and quite often aiming to move before Christmas [“the optimists!”]. With fewer properties on the market, your home has a better chance of standing out if it’s presented right.
Here is a checklist of the best tips to get your home Autumn-ready and catch serious buyers before the year is out…
1. Take Advantage of a Less Crowded Market
After the summer surge, we usually see many vendors hitting the pause button and deciding to wait or even come-off the market until the new year. But buyers don’t disappear, in fact we’ve seen quite an increase in applicant registrations throughout September. Once the summer holidays are finished and the kids have returned to school, many people are ready to make a decision on their next home, and most seem to be keen to move quickly.
That means less competition for you and your home, and a better chance of catching the eye of the motivated buyers who are eager to wrap things up in 2025.While the summer months often see a flurry of activity in the housing market, it's common for many vendors to press pause as autumn arrives, choosing to wait until the new year to re-engage or even remove their properties from the market. However, this period is often misunderstood. Buyers, far from disappearing, can actually increase in number.
We've observed a notable surge in applicant registrations throughout September, indicating a distinct shift in buyer behaviour. Once the summer holidays conclude and children return to school, many individuals and families become more focused and decisive about their next home. This often translates into a strong desire to move quickly, wrapping up transactions before the end of the year.
This presents a significant advantage for sellers. With fewer properties on the market, you face less competition for your home. This reduced competition directly enhances your chances of capturing the attention of these highly motivated buyers who are eager to finalise their move in 2025. By choosing to sell in autumn, you're positioning your property in front of a serious and committed audience, increasing your likelihood of a swift and successful sale.
2. Maximise Your Kerb Appeal (Especially Now)
Fallen leaves, dark evenings and messy gardens can drag down a first impression very fast. So make sure to give your home’s exterior a little love:
- Clear paths and driveways of leaves and moss, if you have a lawn then get it cut, if you have a shingle drive, why not get a few more bags to replace the dips!
- Add some seasonal colour with potted plants or autumn flowers, you could even get an autumn wreath for the front door with all those warm and inviting red & orange hues.
- Make sure outdoor lights are working and welcoming, if you don’t have lights, invest in a few storm lanterns with candles for a cosy glow.
Remember: in autumn, a tidy, well-lit exterior can be the difference between "just browsing" and "let’s book a viewing".
3. Create a Warm and Welcoming Interior
Inside your home, focus on warmth, comfort and atmosphere. Buyers want to feel like they’re stepping into their next cosy retreat, not a cold viewing, and there is nothing worse that trying to concentrate on a property while you’re shivering and wishing you’d brought your gloves along!
A few simple touches go a long way:
- Add textured throws and warm-toned cushions, check out the bargain stores if you only use them for your viewings.
- Try to use soft lighting like side or standard lamps, instead of overhead lights
- If you have a fireplace, go on, put it on for the viewing! If you don’t have a fireplace, make sure the heating is on [set it to low if the home is empty, it’ll make sure your pipes don’t freeze as a bonus!]
- Use subtle, homely scents (think cinnamon, baked apples, or even fresh coffee), there are lots of gorgeous seasonal candles, reed sticks, or essential oils in the shops at the moment.
4. Be Smart About Viewing Times
With the days getting shorter and the clocks about to go back on the last Sunday of October, it’s important to make the most of natural daylight. Whenever possible, aim for daytime viewings so your home looks its best.
For later appointments:
- Turn on warm, ambient lighting in each room
- Keep the home at a comfortable temperature - not too hot or too cold
- Make sure windows are clean to let in as much light as possible
Your goal is to present a home that feels bright, comfortable and move-in ready, even as the sun sets.
5. Price It Right for the Market
Autumn buyers tend to be more decisive. They know time is tight if they want to move before the year ends, but that doesn’t mean they’re not savvy. Market pricing has been reducing slightly over the Summer, so it’s really important to set a realistic price at the outset. Overpricing has a very high chance of leading to a delay in selling, and most likely a price reduction before an offer is agreed. There are many stats from the big portals to show that when you get the price right, it should go under offer pretty quickly, so make sure you get the right valuation from a trusted local agent (... that's us!) who knows the area and can show you recent comparable evidence to support the valuation.
6. Use the Season to Your Advantage
Instead of seeing autumn as a challenge, think of it as an opportunity to create an emotional connection with your viewers. Your home can become the perfect seasonal backdrop: warm, glowing and inviting. With the right presentation, timing, and pricing, there's no reason you can't secure a strong sale before you put up your Christmas decs.
Thinking of Selling This Autumn?
Then let’s talk. At WhiteKnights, we know exactly what works in the local market, and we’re here to help you get ahead, not wait around.
Contact us using the form on the side of this article.
Free home valuation | https://www.whiteknights.co.uk/get-a-property-valuation
Let’s make your move happen before the year is out.