It’s been three years since the housing bubble burst and along with the collapse came an increased necessity to differentiate one’s listed home from another. If you are planning to sell your home, by now I’m sure you have heard that the best way to make a lasting first impression is through curb appeal—the conscious and sub-conscious feelings and impressions of a home when initially viewed from the street or curb.
With a little maintenance, the summer season is the easiest time of year to keep grass alive and vibrant, and flowers bloomed and colorful. But when the long, warm summer months turn into cool, long-shadowed autumn and winter days, home owners often ask me about simple, practical and efficient ways of capturing winter allure from prospective buyers.
Adding life, or at least color to the landscape is priority number one. Start by maximizing the wattage in your exterior lights. With dusk setting in by 5:00 pm, the majority of your showings will occur after nightfall.
If you know for sure that you will be listing your home for sale during the fall and winter months, then plan accordingly. Replace your annual plants with perennials that retain year round color such as evergreens and tall grasses. Slightly more involved but an equally good professional tip is to plant cabbage family plants in your garden which will add a lively purple hue to the scene.
Traditional spring and summer items such as bird baths and planters can also be utilized. Place a colorful ball or bauble in an empty bird bath and fill planters with winter greenery such as evergreens, twigs or reeds. The front door is a natural focal point and should be adorned with a wreath. The festive winter planter can then be situated on the front porch or near the front door, working in an aesthetically pleasing combination with the wreath.
If you take great pride in the spring and summer appearance of the house, stage pictures of the home from those seasons in either a traditional picture frame or a digital frame as buyers walk through the house.
Instead of covering or storing patio and deck furniture, assemble the tables and chairs as if it were summer. Adding a small fire pit loaded with firewood to the outside furnishings will give the appearance that a patio or deck is a multi-season addition to the home.
Most importantly, if it snows, be sure to salt and shovel the driveway, all sidewalks, the patio and deck, and other areas that could be hazardous during inclimate conditions.
Last but not least, if your home is listed during the holiday’s, minimize your Christmas decorations. Don’t leave the Christmas tree, lights and stockings up passed New Year’s Day. Taking down Christmas decorations is similar to removing personal pictures; buyers want to envision themselves living in your home, not see how another family lives.
If you have any questions about selling or buying a home, please feel free to contact me at anytime; Nathan Pfitzer, 314-415-2158.
-NHP-
Tags: curb appeal, home buying, home selling, Winter
