The Broker's Note: High Season Is Ten Weeks Away. What I'd Fix in Your Listing Now

High season starts in about ten weeks. From mid-December, the island fills with visitors, and some of them spend their mornings looking at property instead of the beach. If you want to sell this winter, the work happens now, not when they land.

I have been selling real estate for fifteen years, on both sides of this island and before that in Europe and Miami. The pattern does not change. The listings that sell in January are the ones that were fixed in October. Here is what I would look at in yours.

1. The price, before anything else

Most listings that sit on the market are not badly marketed. They are priced for last year, or for the seller's hopes.

Before high season, I would compare your asking price with what similar properties actually sold for, not with what they are advertised at. Our sold properties page is a good start. If your home has been listed for months without an offer, the market has already given you its answer. Adjusting in October is a decision. Adjusting in March is a concession.

2. Photos taken this month

Off-season light, closed shutters and a dry garden do not sell a villa. If your photos are more than a year old, or were taken during hurricane prep, reshoot.

What works:

• Clean, bright rooms with the shutters open and the clutter gone.

• The view from where you actually sit, not only from the drone.

• Evening shots if the property has a sunset. In Cupecoy or Terres Basses, it probably does.

3. The repairs a buyer will notice in five minutes

Salt air is hard on everything. After the summer, walk the property as a stranger would.

• Rust on railings, hinges and outdoor light fittings.

• Stains on ceilings from the rainy months.

• An air-conditioning unit that rattles, or a pool that is not quite clear.

• Sticking sliding doors and tired exterior paint.

None of these are expensive. Each one gives a buyer a reason to lower their offer by far more than the fix costs.

4. Documents ready before the first viewing

Serious buyers ask for paperwork early. A deal loses momentum every time we have to say "we will get back to you."

On the Dutch side, have your deed and title details ready, and know whether the land is freehold or long lease (erfpacht). In a condominium, gather the association's rules, recent minutes, fees and any planned works. If the property is rented, prepare real booking history, not projections. On the French side, the notaire will need the title and the copropriété documents. Starting early saves weeks.

5. Access for viewings

Visitors are on the island for a week. If a buyer has to wait four days to see your home, they will see three others first.

If your property is rented in high season, block a few viewing windows in the calendar now, or agree with us how we show it between guests. A key held by your agent is worth more than a perfect listing nobody can enter.

What I would not do

• Do not start high with a plan to come down. The first weeks bring the most attention. Waste them at the wrong price and the listing goes stale.

• Do not renovate the kitchen to sell. Fix what is broken, clean what is tired and let the buyer choose their finishes.

• Do not list with three agencies hoping for more exposure. It usually produces three different prices online and a buyer who wonders why.

Questions we get

Is it too late to list for this season?

No. Ten weeks is enough time to price, repair, photograph and prepare documents. It is not enough time to wait another month to decide.

Should I wait for high season to list?

No. List before. Buyers start searching online before they fly, and the best viewings are booked from abroad.

Can you sell my home while it is rented to guests?

Yes. It takes coordination with the rental calendar and good communication with guests. We do it routinely.

If you are thinking of selling this winter, start with a valuation. I will tell you honestly what I would fix first.

John Andreu, Founder & Broker, Andreu Realty