If you’re thinking of selling your home, you might feel like you have to wait until spring before you put your home on the market. There are plenty of articles out there that will tell you spring is the best time of year to sell you home, but ultimately, there people are looking to buy new homes all year long.
One reason why so many people feel like they should wait for spring or summer to list their home is because that’s when the grass is green and flowers are in bloom, giving the house’s exterior a natural lift. Since the exterior of your home is the first thing potential buyers see, curb appeal is a very important thing to consider, but improving your curb appeal isn’t impossible in winter. Here are a few things you can do to give your home’s exterior a boost, even on the coldest, snowiest day of the year.
Clear Your Walkways
Keeping your sidewalks and driveway clear of snow and ice will go a long way in helping to keep your home’s exterior looking nice. Not only does it show that you’re putting effort into maintaining your home, it makes your home look more inviting and people who are interested in your home won’t have to worry about slipping and falling if they were to make an appointment to look at your home.
Winter Plants and Flowers
Although you are a bit limited about what you can do with your yard during the winter, you do still have options. Many plants and flowers can handle the cold weather. Things like evergreen shrubs, holly, pansies, and camellias all bring a touch of color to the dreary winter landscape. If you don’t have any winter plants or flowers planted in the ground, potted plants will do the trick.
Exterior Lighting
Another challenge to selling your home during the winter is that there’s less daylight. Since many potential homebuyers look at the homes they’re interested in after they’re done with work for the day, that means they’ll most likely be visiting after the sun has gone down for the day. But well-planned exterior lighting can bring a lot of visual interest to your home and improve safety for your visitors. Consider using solar-powered lights to line the driveway and walkway to your home, getting a new porch light, or making sure the lamp post in your yard is in good working order.
New Front Door and Windows
Many people feel like getting a new exterior door or vinyl replacement windows are things that can only be done during the warmer months, but this isn’t true at all. If your exterior doors and windows have seen better days, replacing them is a very effective way to give your home’s exterior a boost. Replacing doors and windows can also help improve your home’s energy efficiency, which is something many people look for in new homes. Best of all, since companies that replace doors and windows tend to be less busy during the winter, they may be offering some great deals during this time of year.
