Showing Your Home in Winter | Bethesda MD

Winter curb appeal can be just as captivating as spring blooms with a little extra effort:

• Clear Snow and Ice: Keep driveways, walkways, and stairs well-shoveled and de-iced to ensure safe and easy access.
• Hire a Service If You Are Out of Town: Speaking as a Realtor with more than 35 years experience and on behalf of all Realtors, please do not expect your Realtor to shovel your walkway.  You hired a Realtor to sell your home – not to do maintenance.  If you know that a storm is coming, ask your Realtor if there is someone you can pay to clean your walkways.  It is a better way to spend your money than to pay a lawyer to represent you in a slip and fall suit.
• Add Seasonal Touches: A festive wreath, evergreen planters, or string lights can make your home feel welcoming and warm.
• Clean and Maintain Exterior Features: Wash windows, clean gutters, and make sure outdoor lighting is working. Clear any debris from the yard to maintain a tidy appearance.  Ask if your Realtor plans on doing a weekly check of  your property – but recognize that that weekly check may not be in the evenings so outdoor bulbs that have burned out may not be visible during daylight hours.

First impressions matter, especially in winter. Help buyers feel comfortable and embraced as soon as they step inside:

• Set a Cozy Temperature: Keep the thermostat at a comfortable level so visitors aren’t shivering as they tour the home.  Remember that they just drove from the last property they saw.  They are cold from the car and cold from walking to your home.
• Add a Doormat: Provide a sturdy engaging doormat for snowy boots and a space to remove shoes. Consider offering disposable shoe covers for added convenience.
• Use Soft Lighting: Brighten up entryways with warm, inviting light to contrast the winter gloom.  Leave the lights on all the time.

Winter days are shorter, so making the most of available light is essential when showing your home in winter:

• Open Curtains and Blinds: Let in as much natural light as possible by fully opening window coverings.  Of course, if you open the curtains and blinds, you will have less insulation on your windows, so you will have to adjust the temperature accordingly.
• Clean Windows: Sparkling clean windows help maximize the sunlight streaming in.
• Use Mirrors Strategically: Position mirrors to reflect light and create the illusion of a brighter, more spacious room.

Make your home feel like a winter retreat buyers won’t want to leave:

• Layer Textures: Add cozy throw blankets, plush pillows, and soft area rugs to create a warm ambiance.
• Light a Fireplace: If you have a fireplace, light it during showings and/or open houses to add a touch of luxury and comfort.
• Use Warm Colors: Incorporate warm tones like deep reds, oranges, and golds in your decor to evoke a sense of coziness

If you hire a professional stager (who will have particular furniture in a certain color palette that will be delivered), you can still ask for accent notes like throws and pillows that add warmer colors than you would see in the summer months.

Highlight winter-friendly features when showing your home in winter:

• Emphasize Energy Efficiency: Showcase energy-efficient windows, a new HVAC system, or good insulation—all of which are highly desirable in winter.
• Feature Indoor Amenities: Highlight features like heated floors, a hot tub, or a well-insulated garage.

Create an emotional connection by engaging the senses when showing your home in winter:

• Scent: Use subtle seasonal scents like cinnamon, vanilla, or your realtor can offer freshly baked cookies at open houses. Avoid overpowering air fresheners like apple.  Everyone recognizes those for air fresheners and then they wonder what you are hiding.
• Sound: Play soft background music, like acoustic tunes or instrumental classics.
• Taste: Ask your Realtor to offer warm beverages like hot cocoa or cider at an open house to add a memorable touch.  Leave a Keurig on the kitchen counter with coffee pods in a cute cannister, some creamer, sugar and bright coffee mugs.

When showing your home in winter, try to schedule buyer visits strategically to maximize natural light and convenience:

• Daytime Showings: Whenever possible, schedule showings during daylight hours for optimal lighting.
• Flexible Hours:  Having said that, be prepared to accommodate buyers’ schedules, especially since winter weather can make travel unpredictable.

Winter weather can bring mud, salt, and slush indoors, so extra attention to cleanliness is crucial:

• Clean Floors Regularly: Stay on top of vacuuming and mopping to keep floors spotless.
• Declutter: Create a sense of spaciousness by minimizing clutter and organizing storage areas.
• Freshen Up Interiors: Repaint walls if necessary and ensure all rooms are tidy and well-maintained.
• Replace All Batteries  If your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide monitors and thermostats depend on batteries to function, just replace them all before you put your home on the market.   Touring a property with a chirping smoke detector is so annoying that buyers will not linger to admire the finer points of your home.   If your thermostat dies because the battery is dead, your heat goes off, which can be catastrophic in an empty home in winter.  Be prepared!

Selling a home in winter may require a bit of extra effort, but it also offers the chance to stand out in a less crowded market. By creating a warm, inviting environment and highlighting your home’s best features, you can capture buyers’ attention and turn a chilly season into a hot opportunity. With these strategies, you’re well on your way to showcasing your home like a pro this winter.

If you are unsure about the timeline for putting your Bethesda MD home on the market this winter, let’s talk.  You can reach us at 240-401-5577 or email us at lise@lisehowe.com.  There are lots of buyers leaping across snow drifts right now trying to beat the spring market and your home should be there for them!