I’m sure when you think of an open house, you imagine visiting a home on a sunny and comfortably warm day, maybe some time during April or May. You can enjoy viewing the home both inside and outside while everything is in plain sight and not obstructed by a foot or more of snow.
Selling a home during the winter might seem like a bad idea because of the buyer not being able to appreciate the exterior of the home when it’s covered in snow and ice, and the slippery road conditions will have open-house visitors hesitant to drive to the event. Although these factors might deter homeowners from placing their home on the market during winter, there are some things you can do to make your home more attractive to buyers during the colder months.
Living in the Northeast, you’re definitely going to experience some snowstorms once the winter hits. So, one of the first things you’re going to want to do when preparing to sell your home during the colder months is clean off as much snow and ice from your home’s exterior as possible, because any buildup of winter precipitation might hinder the potential buyers from getting a full idea of the outside view of your home. You should have some sort of ice-melt handy, like rock salt, when a storm comes through so you can spread some on icy patches on your property, in order to create a safe path for potential buyers when they walk up to your home. Be sure to clear out any snow from your sidewalks and driveway, and if the snow is deep, you’ll want to use a snowblower, which will allow you to clear paths in a faster manner.
We all know that during the colder months, it doesn’t stay light out as much as it does in the warmer months. Take care of this by pulling back drapes or opening shutters to let in as much light as possible. It will also be a beautiful sight from the windows to be able to see the sunlight reflecting off of the snow. You might even want to light a few candles to create a feeling of warmth that is most welcome in any home during the winter. If you light any candles, try to refrain from using too many scented ones. Yes, the smells are very pleasant, especially in a winter setting, and yes, it’s tempting to have your home smell like Yankee Candle, but too much can be overbearing to the senses.
You definitely want to make the home look comfortable, especially in the colder months. When trying to sell a home during the winter, you want to emphasize to your buyer that they will be cozy in your home during this time of year. You can do this by having a fire lit, and maybe do some redecorating to incorporate a warm color palette throughout your home. Such a palette will work beautifully with any home during the winter.
It would also be wise to let your potential buyers know of any fun seasonal activities in the area. Let them know of any special winter events around the neighborhood or of any ski areas that are in close proximity. The winter can be dreary at times, and you don’t want to be indoors the whole season fearing the cold, so the idea of having winter activities to occupy time will be appealing.
Selling your home during the winter can be a bit of a challenge, but there are ways to make it easier and fun, all of which will have you see why the season has the potential to be just as good of a time to sell as any.
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