You might think selling your house in the winter is like selling your home in the summer, but that’s not necessarily the case. While in the warmer months, you can rely on landscaping and gardens to help increase the curb appeal, in the winter, those things are often hidden under snow. 

So, how do you get your home noticed? We’ve got some Winter real estate tips and ideas for selling during the holidays.

Outside the house

Clear a path

Before potential buyers even walk through the front door, they need to be able to get to it. Make sure you clear the driveway and any walkways so they can actually get to the house. It not only looks more appealing but is also safer; you don’t want a potential buyer to decide your home isn’t for them because they slipped in the driveway.

Temper the decor

While it is the festive season, you might be tempted to decorate the exterior and show what can be done with the home this time of year. But before you go full Griswold with your Christmas home staging, remember that not every buyer will be as excited about the holidays or may not celebrate at all. Plus, you don’t want to bury the house in decorations; they won’t get a good look at it. A string of tasteful lights along the roofline is more than enough.

Refresh the door

The front door can catch the eye of anyone if it’s bright enough. In the darker winter months, having a front door painted a bright colour, like yellow, red, or light blue, will make your home stand out. 

Inside the house

Turn up the heat

You might like your home on the cooler side, but plenty of people like it warmer. Plus, it makes the house more inviting, so don’t be afraid to turn up the thermostat a bit. Also, if you have a working fireplace, get it going while the home is shown. It helps create a cozy, comfortable atmosphere that makes people visualize themselves being in. 

Soften it up

Keeping with the warm and cozy vibe, having soft materials everywhere will help sell that feeling. Getting fuzzy pillows for the couch, a soft throw blanket to drape over an armchair, and a rug that feels good on the feet (as the buyers will presumably take their shoes or boots off at the door) will make your home feel like a great place to hibernate for the winter.

Temper the decor again

Selling your home doesn’t mean you have to pretend it’s not Christmas. Still, you’ll want to refrain from covering every inch of space with tinsel and obnoxious motion-activated singing Santas. Keep the indoor decor tasteful and more neutral, more about winter than the actual holidays. Buyers have their own decor traditions, and it’ll be easier for them to visualize it without your stuff blocking the view.

Tone down the scents

While it may be tempting to light all your seasonal candles or oil diffusers, remember that scents are pretty personal for most people. Not everyone will love the Frosted Sugar Cookie or Deep Winter Woods smells. It may also give the impression you’re trying to cover something else up. Since opening the windows in the winter is only sometimes an option, your best bet is to keep the scents neutral. Take out the trash before a showing and clean out the fridge and freezer to eliminate any funky smells. You know folks are going to be taking a peek inside.

If you want to get your home on the market this holiday season, we can provide more Winter real estate tips and what to do for Christmas home staging! We can guide the best way to stage your home for this time of year and determine the right price for a winter real estate market. Give us a call at 250-860-0303 today, and let’s get started!