By Melissa Borgerding and Laura Hipshire

THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

In the colder winter weather, many homeowners will pull their houses off the market. Others will hunker down until spring before setting the “For Sale” signs out on their front lawns—all due to the longstanding belief that you can’t sell your house in winter.

Not true, reports Realty Times, a prominent real estate news site on the  Internet. By using some creativity, you can do very well selling your house in winter. Due to the lack of competition during the season, some professionals in the industry look at winter as a seller’s market.

Cut the competition

Typically, spring sees more houses on the market and more choices for potential buyers than any other season, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Putting your house on the market in winter means you won’t have to compete with everybody else in the neighborhood. You may even increase the possibility of a faster sale.

Winter brings out the serious buyers, Realty Times reports. Often, those buyers are more motivated and will want to make a decision more quickly than the  spring shoppers, who have a far greater selection of houses from which to choose.

Improve winter curb-appeal

Some simple house presentation ideas can make your house as appealing in  winter as it is in warm weather.

Outside, clean up your front lawn. It shows the  prospective homebuyer that you care about the condition of your house, and they take that first impression with them through the door.

Inside, clear clutter, and enhance the atmosphere by lighting scented candles or  baking cookies just before potential buyers arrive. The comforting aroma will appeal senses.