Well it worked. All your snow dances and powder rituals have encouraged those much anticipated cotton balls to fall from the sky. If your home is going to be on the market during winter snow storms, the time to prepare is now.
While freshly fallen snow can actually add to curb appeal, sloppy, slushy conditions are not only dangerous to folks trying to get to your front door, but they create messes – while you’re trying so desperately to keep the home clean.
Here are our best tips to help you sell your home when it’s snowing.
1. Keep homebuyers safe
Can you imagine a prospective homebuyer (or one of her children) careening down your walkway on her backside? Yikes.
Prevent this from happening by being extra-diligent in your ice and snow removal. Pay close attention to walkways, driveways, sidewalks near your home and stairways. If you have a deck or patio, ensure it’s snow-free as well to entice potential buyers to explore.
Then, follow up the shoveling with ice melt or rock salt. ConsumerReports.org has a handy piece about how to use ice melt and which kind is best.
Cut back any tree branches that appear to be weighted down. The last thing you need is a potential buyer with a concussion (or worse) from a fallen tree branch. It may be a good idea to clear out the gutters to avoid overflow.
If you have a covered porch or deck, use this as a lifestyle vinette – with throw blankets, a nice tray and mugs, show that your outdoor space is enjoyable year-round.
2. Entice them to come inside
Do whatever you can to add pops of color to the exterior of the home. Potential buyers will notice and, hopefully, be enticed to get out of the car and into the home.
Add some color to the exterior of the home with plants, such as cold-weather loving pansies in pots on the covered porch or holly, with its colorful berries.
Consider painting the front door a cheery color. You’ll need to do this on a warmer, sunnier day, so you can allow it to dry. {EXPERT TIP: finger paint some vaseline on the rims of the door where it’ll close. This will allow it to continue drying without sticking to the door frame.} And yes! You DO need two or three coats!
Oil-based semi-gloss exterior paint needs to be applied in temperatures that are no lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the limit is 50 degrees for acrylic-based paint.
Then, add a decorative door wreath for added curb appeal.
Paint the mailbox while you’re at it – anything to add contrast to the oh-so-white landscaping at this time of year will act as an invitation to enter the home.
3. Make them want to stick around
Offer up a place for visitors to hang their coats and shoe coverings to keep them from tracking the outside through the home. They’re quite inexpensive and will save you having to clean up after them.
Since all homes look better in natural light, open all the window coverings before you leave for work, or make sure to ask your realtor.
Who doesn’t love a hot chocolate station? Since you won’t be home during showings, use an urn or crock pot to keep water hot, a basket full of envelopes of instant hot chocolate mix, another full of cookies, a bowl full of mini-marshmallows and a container of stir sticks.
Don’t forget to leave a note inviting visitors to help themselves. This will make your home buyers want to stick around.
Homeseller, if you are thinking of listing your home in Truckee, please give me a call – I’d be happy to help you get it sold quickly, at it’s highest market price.
