Spring is usually the busiest time for real estate but selling in the fall season can be just as good. To make the best out of the season, here are a few tips to help you sell your home fast and make sure that it doesn’t end up as a stale listing, hibernating on a wintery MLS.

Colder weather means more than back to school. It also means that leaves fall from trees and clutter your front and backyard. While the plethora of colours is beautiful, unraked leaves make your lawn look unmaintained and detract potential buyers. These leaves also reduce the sunlight that your grass gets and suffocate them. Therefore, make sure your lawn is leaf-free

And just because summer is over, doesn’t mean that summer lawn care is over too. Although your grass may not grow as fast, it’s ideal to still cut it. Get rid of weeds to also maintain that perfectly green lawn.

Lastly, the colder weather can leave your summer flowers shrivelled and lifeless—waiting for the next summer sun. Trimming dead flowers tidies your flowerbeds and allows you to add fall-season flowers, such as chrysanthemums or potted mums, for a splash of colour among the evergreen bushes and trees. Pumpkins are also a great decoration as homes prepare for or retire from trick-or-treaters.

While the outside of your home is important, it’s the inside that many buyers care to see. And adding some seasonal colours, decorations, and scents can make the inside of your home that much more appealing. This doesn’t mean painting every interior wall orange but is as simple as warmly coloured pillows and blankets for the couch and autumn-themed centrepieces for the tables. Also, when you’re buying pumpkins for the outside of your home, a few mini pumpkins for the inside won’t hurt.

We buy with more than just our eyes, so adding some autumn scents can emphasize a cosy fall atmosphere. The scent of freshly baked cookies, apple pies, cinnamon, and, again, pumpkin, can resuscitate a person’s favourite autumn memories and put them in a buying mood. As an added bonus, the potential buyer can walk away from your showing with some delicious treats—or you can ignite these scents using an autumn-themed candle.

Colder weather demands a warmer home—you don’t want potential buyers walking in to realize that they’ll need to wear their jacket. Although there’s no snow just yet, the weather may require you to start running your furnace. Additionally, check your windows for damages that can lead to drafts. A damaged window leaks the warmth of your home to the outside and turns off potential buyers who want a place that can retain comfortable indoor temperatures during the winter. As well, installing weather stripping prevents leaks and secures comfortable indoor temperatures.

The autumn season also means shorter days and less sunlight. Buyers often come to see houses after work, and by October and November, the sun may have set by that time. This is why plenty of indoor lighting is crucial, as sunlight is no longer available to show buyers the beauty of the property. Fluorescent lights, as opposed to incandescent light bulbs, also make your home seem more modern. If you want to go above and beyond, Philip Hue light bulbs can completely change the dynamic of your rooms with different colours. And don’t forget the fireplace, which provides heat, light, and an autumn vibe.

Exterior lights are as important as the interior ones. Just because it’s dark outside, doesn’t mean that buyers no longer have an interest in your home’s exterior decor. Lighting the outside of your home gives a rough impression of what the property looks like in the daytime. Though, if they really have an interest, they’ll come back during the day.

A homeowner needs to maintain their home, and each season has its own maintenance checklist. Because winter is coming and heating soon becomes a necessity, replacing your furnace’s filter and ensuring it’s at its optimal performance is crucial. It also shows people that your home is ready for cold nights. A clean Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is part of your furnace’s optimal performance, so getting it cleaned should also be part of the to-do list. Both the heater check and HVAC cleaning requires a professional to come into your home, but before inviting them in, make sure that they have the proper certifications and credentials to perform the tasks that they offer. A clean HVAC system can also rid your home of fall allergens, helping those viewing the property breathe more easily.

Going back to falling leaves, it’s important to clear dead leaves from not only your lawn but also your gutters and water pipes. There are dozens of options for this, whether it’s fancy tools, professional help, or getting your hands dirty. Neglected gutters can lead to wood rot or pest infestations. Also make sure that water is not coming behind your gutter, as this leads to the formation of puddles on your walkways and driveways which ultimately damages them.

Finally, if you’re someone who uses their fireplace (or wants to impress people coming in for an open house by lighting the fireplace), make sure that it and the chimney are clean. Frequent fireplace use can lead to the build-up and accumulation of unburned tar vapours. And this leads to chimney and house fires.