Credit: Salomé Guruli via Unsplash
Selling your home in winter is not necessarily ideal, but sometimes it can’t be helped. If you’ve found a new job, are moving, or other life events happen, you may need to sell your home and make a move during the wintry weather. While it can be a slower period than the spring and summer and provide a less than welcoming landscape, that doesn’t mean selling your home in winter has to be a bad experience.
You might be worried that with the snow, slush, and gray skies, your home isn’t looking at its best and brightest. But there’s no need to worry. Hopefully, you’ve been able to find your dream home, and with these tips, you can give your home the curb appeal boost it needs this winter to draw in buyers and help someone else find their dream home too.
Keep Up With Maintenance
Be sure to keep up with maintenance around your property during this time. Make sure all fallen leaves from autumn have been removed and fix up cracks around your home. Most importantly, keep up with snow maintenance.
Stay on top of shovelling during your listing period and keep your driveway and walkways clear of snow, ice, and fallen leaves. Not only does this make your home look more nice and tidy, but it also keeps things safer as potential buyers come for viewings.
Freshen Up
It’s amazing what a coat of paint can do to freshen up your home’s appearance. Painting the whole house can’t hurt, but this might not be an ideal option depending on the winter weather. If the snow and cold are too much of a barrier to getting a whole paint job done, consider just focusing on your front door.
A freshly painted bright front door will draw the eye and pair well in a wintry landscape. Choose a primary color for this focal point of your home’s exterior to really make your home pop.
Update Your Hardware
If you’re surprised what painting your front door can do to rejuvenate your home’s appearance, updating the hardware on your home will blow your mind. We’re talking about your address numbers, mailbox, and door handles. It’s amazing how dirty and dingy they can slowly get over time, and we just don’t notice until you replace them with new versions. These pieces of hardware don’t necessarily need to match, but they should at least complement one another.
These upgrades will sparkle, shine and completely refresh your home’s appearance. If you’re trying to keep to a budget, you can try giving these items a thorough wash and a fresh coat of paint.
Bring in the Birds
Adding a few cheery, homey bird feeders around your property can bring a welcome distraction from the lifelessness and gloom of winter landscaping. You can get them in bright colors to help bring a pop of color to the home’s exterior. In addition to the added color, you’ll provide some refreshment to the birds in your area and bring the winter wildlife flocking to your home.
Add Lighting
Lighting is always a welcome component to a home’s exterior, but even more so during the dark days of winter. Aside from improving visibility as things get slippery, the cold snow is warmed up under the glow of soft exterior lighting. You might also consider string lights. You can use them in a clear glass bowl on your porch or wrap them around trees for a magical look. Make your home look cozy, warm and inviting during any evening viewings.
Plant Life
One of the best ways to liven up your home’s exterior during dreary winter days is with a blast of life – plant life, that is. There are plenty of plants that can withstand winter’s harshness that you can add to your walkways, window boxes or front garden. Try evergreen plants and trees like witch hazel and pansies or something with colorful berries to bring a breath of life to your drab winter exterior.
Winter may be a traditionally slow period for real estate, and it doesn’t always provide for the best backdrop, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ways to make your home look more attractive and lively. Follow these tips to boost your home’s curb appeal and draw in prospective buyers. Before you know it, you’ll have offers coming in for your warm and cozy-looking home.
