Real Estate Roundtable: Making the Most of Those Winter Wites

Our roundtable question for December: Homeowners can face challenges when a house is on the market during the winter months. What can the seller do to meet this challenge and use this season to their advantage?

Megan Gardner, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Signature Premier Properties

Magangardnerhomes.com • 631-255-3878

Selling a home during the winter months presents unique challenges, but homeowners can turn these into advantages with the right approach.

One common challenge is curb appeal. With bare trees and less vibrant landscapes, keeping your property well-maintained is crucial. Ensure walkways are clear of snow and ice, and add warmth with simple touches like a tasteful wreath, potted evergreens, or soft exterior lighting to highlight your home’s entrance.

Another challenge is limited daylight and cold temperatures. While it’s best to schedule showings during daylight hours when natural light can highlight your home’s features, sometimes home buyers need to tour during dusk and evening hours. Use warm indoor lighting and ensure your heat is up, and the house is warm to create a cozy atmosphere during late afternoon or evening appointments.

During the winter, buyers are especially focused on comfort, so staging plays an even more important role. Consider adding inviting touches like a lit fireplace, plush throws, cozy pillows, and indoor plants to emphasize a sense of coziness.

Finally, use the season to your advantage by highlighting your home’s energy efficiency. Showcase any updated features, such as windows, insulation, or a new heating system.

Winter is one of the most beautiful seasons on the Great South Bay, with serene wintery views and crisp, cozy skies creating a picturesque backdrop. This makes it the perfect time to sell or buy a home and start a new chapter.

Byron Chenault, Licensed Real Estate Agent, Netter Real Estate

bchenault@netterbeachestates.com • 516-779-7739

Winter can be a tough time to keep a home looking presentable for sale. Make sure you do a fall cleanup. This is an essential first step to keeping your home looking well-kept during the winter months. Trim back overgrown brush, remove dead leaves, and trim that lawn. Also, get any yard clutter under control. All these things help to make your house look presentable and well-maintained. Placing some holiday décor gives a warm touch and adds to the sidewalk appeal as well.

Tanya Fuchs, Licensed Associate Broker, Ramsay Realtors

tanyafuchs@gmail.com • 631-478-8546

Listing your home with a cohesive and concise marketing plan and priced competitively any time of the year, especially in the winter, can be very lucrative for any seller. Most potential sellers want to wait until the “spring bloom season” to list their homes, which leads to more competition. I always encourage sellers that if they are ready for their next chapter (whether it’s downsizing, upgrading, or relocating to a different state/country), they just go for it and ask, “Why wait!?”

Once those holiday decorations are packed away, the house guests have vacated, and the kids return to school, the home may seem empty and cold. However, a seller should keep going. There are still ways to make the home inviting to potential buyers.

Keeping walkways, driveways, and porches clear of ice and snow is essential for aesthetics and safety. A freshly painted door, a new doormat, and new light sconces and fixtures down the walkway and porch will give the house a fresh look from the street. Even new house numbers and a mailbox will help.

A seller should always keep the house interior tastefully decorated for the season. Seasonal fresh flowers around the house, a set dining table, a warm fire in the fireplace, and great scents throughout the house will make the buyers feel right at home.

Darryl Diamond, Real Estate Broker, Diamond Investments

darryldiamond@earthlink.net • 404-873-1273

We need to start with the basics of selling a house, no matter the season. The first step is always to stage the home. The first impression is the most important, so clean up the driveway, front yard, and entryway to your house. Next, go room to room and unclutter, then redecorate it with attractive newer furniture. If a room is dark and gloomy, consider painting the walls white.

If hosting an open house, have professional house cleaners come in the day before. Listen to your professional realtor. They will help you stage the house for a quicker sale. If there is a snowstorm on the open house day, use common sense and have the drive plowed that morning. If you have a showing during a cold spell, have the fireplace burning; the right wood smells fantastic.

I recently sold a house on a small lake in Islip. The backyard faced west. The sunsets are spectacular, particularly in the wintertime. This is why sometimes selling a home over the winter months can be advantageous.

One final point: stop calling your house a house. It has been your home and should be called “your prospective home” for any buyer you speak with. I wish you all the best for the holidays.