Admin

10 Ways to Create Winter Curb Appeal

By
Home Stager with Happily Better After Room Redesign & Home Staging

If your home is on the market through the winter, how do you make your home's exterior look warm and inviting when the trees are bald, it's too cold for flowers, and snow is always a possibility?

1.      Play up the front door-paint it a contrasting color so it stands out, add a decorative wreath, or install a new knocker.

2.      Add a new welcome mat.

3.      Install larger house numbers.

4.      Install a new mailbox.

5.      Add evergreens in decorative planters by the front door.

6.      Add winter blooming plants like kale or winter pansies, or shrubs like Witch Hazel, Winter Jasmine, or Winterthur to inject some color into a winter landscape. Blooming plants and dwarf varieties of the shrubs can be grown in containers, so they can be placed wherever you need a pop of color.

7.      Restore or replace outdoor lighting.

8.      Remove snow and ice promptly and thoroughly from the driveway, walkways, and sidewalk, and treat with ice melt.

9.      Keep the yard uncluttered-no tools, supplies, trash receptacles, or toys should be stored in the yard.

10.   Remove any fallen branches and leaves-keep the lawn as clear as possible when it's visible.

Maintaining an attractive home throughout the winter in colder climates is a challenge, but well worth it. Home buyers shopping during the winter are less likely to be casually looking, so make sure your home looks its best!

Posted by

 

Comments(7)

Show All Comments Sort:
Holly Weatherwax
Associate Broker, Momentum Realty - Reston, VA
A Great Real Estate Experience

Very common sense ideas, but they make a huge difference--and so many sellers don't do them!

Jan 20, 2011 07:24 AM
Jimmy Katz
Wynd Realty & Katz Realty Group - Alpharetta, GA
"REAL Solutions for Real Estate!"

great advice!  for some reason i really like the look of large numbers for the address, but never really though about it before your post

Jan 20, 2011 07:57 AM
Joetta Fort
The DiGiorgio Group - Arvada, CO
Independent Broker, Homes Denver to Boulder

Good list of ideas. Here's one bad idea: set out fake flowers.

Jan 20, 2011 07:58 AM
Sharalyn Kluke
Keller Williams Seneca - Seneca, SC
Sharalyn Kluke, Realtor, Keller Williams Realty

This is a great list!  Thanks for sharing.

Jan 20, 2011 08:08 AM
Jill Banks,
Happily Better After Room Redesign & Home Staging - Mt Laurel, NJ
South Jersey Home Stager

Glad you all found the list helpful! And Joetta, I agree, fake flowers used outdoors are really bad! Makes me wonder why so many homeowners use them . . .

Jan 20, 2011 08:54 AM
DONNA SINGH
Royal LePage Connect Realty - Toronto, ON

Great ideas and thanks for sharing.

Jan 20, 2011 09:46 AM
Tori Toth
Tori Toth, International - Howard Beach, NY
888.667.6643 NYC & Beyond, HSR, SAR, RESA, LIBOR

so true jill...i like to put wreaths on the door as well, it just welcomes you right on in.

Jan 26, 2011 01:33 PM