Selling A Mountain Home: 7 Tips

Mountain homes tend to be in remote locations, and often the land that the home is built upon is steeply pitched. This can make staging and showing the home somewhat tricky. Taking into account weather, climate, road conditions and the particular details of the land can help homeowners sell a mountain home quickly and efficiently.

Sell At The Right Time of Year

Depending on the location, many mountain properties can be difficult to reach from fall into the early spring. Ice, snow, and other conditions can make the roads difficult to navigate. For many mountain properties, the best time to sell is when the weather is warm and the roads are in good condition.

If your home is up for sale during the colder, wetter times of the year, have your real estate agent alert buyers when roads are in bad condition. If special equipment is required, like a four wheel drive vehicle or tire chains, make sure this is also communicated.

Play Up the View

One of the greatest assets of many mountain properties is the spectacular view. Take advantage of these views to wow buyers and make a faster sale.

• Remove heavy curtains. Even when open, heavy curtains can block the light and hide the outer edges of the view. Replace heavy curtains with sheers that allow the light to enter the home, or remove curtains altogether.
• Clean the windows. Clean the windows inside and out to ensure that the view out the window is crystal clear.
• Cut away branches and plants that impede the view. Cut away any plants and trees that might get in the way of the views out your window.
• Include pictures of the view in the listing. Take pictures of the view at the best time of day, then include those pictures in the house listing.

Boost Curb Appeal

Many mountain homes are built on a grade and have little or no yard to landscape. For this reason, many homeowners must get creative to boost curb appeal.

• Put potted plants on the balcony or deck.
• Hang window boxes with flowers.
• Repaint the home to give it a clean, fresh look.
• Line the walk to the house with decorative stones.
• Cut down any branches that overhang the roof.
• Get rid of moss, seeds and organic debris on the roof.
• Put props on the front stoop, such as a rocking chair, flower pots or a small statue. 

Make it Easy to Find

One of the problems with many mountain homes is that the roads tend to be winding and remote, and cell towers don’t always get signal on the road. Home buyers who come to view the house may have a hard time finding the property, and GPS may not function well in the area where the house is located. As a home seller, it’s important to do everything you can to ensure that the house can be found by home buyers.

• Give directions that involve landmarks as well as street names.
• Drive the route to ensure that street markers and names are visible.
• Hang the house numbers in a prominent location on the front of the property.
• Encourage buyers to map their route ahead of time if GPS is unavailable on the road. 

Make a "Guide" for Buyers

Remote mountain homes are of particular interest to homebuyers seeking a vacation property. To make your property more enticing for home buyers seeking a second home in a fun location, create a guide to your property. In the guide, list amenities like nearby tourism landmarks and points of interest like parks, trails and outdoor activities. You can also include information like lists of nearby conveniences (gas stations, super markets and so on). If your home has a septic tank, this would also be a good place to give information about maintaining your home’s septic tank. Leave this guide on the table for home buyers coming to see your property.

Maintain the Road

Many homes in remote locations are on private roads that are maintained by the homeowner. If this is the case for you, it’s important to ensure that the road to your home is in good shape for home buyers. To do this, fill potholes and cracks and clear any debris on the road clear any rubble on the pavement.

Talk To Your Real Estate Agent

If you live in a mountain home and would like to sell the property, contact a real estate agent who is experienced in the sale of mountain properties in your area. They can give you ideas and can tell you about the challenges that people in your area face then they try to sell their mountain homes.