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Winter Tips For Showing A House

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 311291

Showing a home in winter

 If your home is on the market, there is a good the chance of wintery weather.

Buyers, who are serious, may have a limited time and will want to see properties no matter what the weather. 

      If access to your home is NOT safe, then do not allow showings. 

Make sure your insurance is up to date.

If there is snow, keep up with clearing the path from the car to the home’s entrance.

Keep salt or sand nearby.

Have shoe coverings available for visitors.

Make sure buyers are accompanied.

 

snowy steps

 

 

 

 

       Curb appeal is important. Make sure the house numbers are visible and prominent,  the mailbox is new or freshly painted and the entry doors are immaculate. If not replace all three.  Since many sellers do not use their main entrance, have them take a look as though they were the potential buyer.

Take a picture of the front of the house and the entryway.

Show the picture to your Realtor® and ask for suggestions to enhance the appearance.

Does it need a pop of color?  Does it need repair?

Is it clean, pretty and inviting?

 

damaged mailbox

 

 

 

      Keep the temperature, inside, comfortable for yourself. If vacant make sure there is someone, like your agent,  who can adjust the temp to 68 degrees prior to all showings. There are programmable thermostats that can be controlled by smartphones. Good idea to install one. Set the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees, you do NOT want to risk the possibility of frozen pipes.

Walking into a cold house is a real NoNo... not at all warm and inviting.

 

fireplace

 

Thinking of selling your home

Call Margaret Rome

 

Margaret Rome

Posted by

Margaret Rome
HomeRome Realty
Broker/Owner/Realtor®

Baltimore, Maryland


Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

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Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Thank you Hannah Williams for the honor of being featured in Banatude.

Nov 30, 2018 01:34 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Tammy Lankford, Snow for you guys is pretty much a novelty and a day off. Always good to see you.

Nov 30, 2018 01:47 PM
Pat Champion
John Roberts Realty - Eustis, FL
Call the "CHAMPION" for all your real estate needs

Great tips for winter showings there are buyer's in every season. Have a great weekend.

Nov 30, 2018 02:25 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Pat Champion There are buyers in every season whether wind, rain, snow, ice or heat waves. Thanks for stopping by.

Nov 30, 2018 02:32 PM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

WEll these are great tips for not only winter but also all year long

Nov 30, 2018 05:56 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

William Feela So true about now and the other  seasons.

Nov 30, 2018 06:20 PM
Jeanne Gregory
RE/MAX Southwest - Sugar Land, TX
The most important home I sell is YOURS!

These pictures make me love Houston even more!

Nov 30, 2018 08:05 PM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Great tips, Margaret. We rarely get this type of weather, but plenty of rain and wind during winter.  However, there's a take-away for everyone. Keep homes accessible and safe - and warm! 

Dec 01, 2018 07:53 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Those are important tips for home showings during winter, Margaret.  It's sure to make a difference!

Dec 01, 2018 12:16 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Jeanne Gregory Glad you are loving Houston

Dec 01, 2018 05:54 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Thanks Debb Janes EcoBroker and Bernie Stea JD These tips can be helpful for many. Sometimes the leaves need to be raked to make it safe and presentable.

Dec 01, 2018 05:56 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Myrl Jeffcoat Not your problem in Ca. Always good to see you.

Dec 01, 2018 05:56 PM
Gloria Todor
Premier Property Sales & Rentals - Springfield, PA
& Doug Durren (484) 431-3686 in SE PA

Margaret, So important to be in tune with local weather.  It is so dangerous when sidewalks are icy.  We mostly encounter such problems when a house is vacant.  But still sellers need to be vigilant if they do not want a potential law suit from someone falling on their property.  We hear of such cases now and again. As you mentioned, best to stop showings during bad weather.

Good advice.

 

Dec 02, 2018 11:17 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Margaret,

All great tips. Not a huge fan of salt, since it works only in a very narrow temperature range & can kill nearby plants. Better to clear & put sand. However, in sheet ice conditions, it is useful.

Dec 02, 2018 11:30 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Gloria Todor But you know there are showings that have to happen when the buyers are available. Vacant houses can be a real challenge if there are no planned preparations for weather. Always good to see you both.

Dec 02, 2018 02:58 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Dörte Engel  You are so right about the salt and our plants. It also gets into the drinking water of nearby wells. Our area uses a lot of salt when snow and ice are predicted especially on our main roads and beltways.

Dec 02, 2018 03:02 PM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

Good advice!  I prefer not to show homes once it's dark outside...and so difficult to read the house numbers!!!  However, it has to happen at this time of year.  that first impression when walking up to the house is very important!

Dec 03, 2018 11:55 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR  Most houses do not show well at night...especially the first showing. When it is dark around  4:45...we sometimes have to accommodate the buyers.

Dec 03, 2018 02:16 PM
Susan McCall - - Compass Realty Solutions
Compass Realty Solutions - Portland, OR
Listing and Buyer's Agent

And most important of all, after the snow has melted be sure and post new pictures on the MLS of the home without the snow in front.  I see this every once in a while.  A snowy photo in April is a sure sign the house has been on the market for a while.  Heck it saves me a click, so that's OK!

Dec 03, 2018 03:15 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Good point Susan McCall, Everyone needs a home  With our almost unlimited amount of MLS photos...we can have pictures from all four seasons.

Dec 03, 2018 03:18 PM