Wintry welcome

Sellers can lure potential buyers inside by making a good first impression outside. Here are some quick and easy ways to improve a home's curb appeal during the gray days ahead.

By LYNN UNDERWOOD, Star Tribune

Last update: November 7, 2009 - 10:54 AM

How do you make your for-sale home stand out from the crowd? By creating an inviting, sparkling-clean exterior to give buyers the feeling that the home is well-maintained inside and out. ¶ "They'll be curious about the inside and may make an appointment for a showing," said Stephanie Tensing, a Plymouth Edina Realty agent who also stages homes. ¶ But creating curb appeal in the off-season can be a little more difficult than when gardens are in bloom and the grass is green. We asked local real estate agents for advice on how to refresh a home's exterior now and through the winter.

SPRUCE IT UP

Wipe grime and cobwebs from the front door. Wash windows. Sweep leaves from the front porch steps. Clean up the yard by raking leaves, trimming bushes and removing spent garden plants. If it's not too cold, pressure-wash the exterior as well as the sidewalks and driveway and repair any cracks.

A TOUCH OF MARTHA

Create a warm and welcoming front entry by filling weatherproof planters with clusters of birch branches, evergreen boughs, curly willow or other materials foraged from your yard or purchased at a garden center or florist shop. If your garage is front and center, strategically arrange large pots by the garage door, as well. Buy a new mailbox or paint the old one. Install a new front door handle or knob. Replace a worn welcome mat with something fresh and stylish. And, if there's space, place an inviting bench by the front door.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

Sellers need to light the way during fall and winter's long nights. Make sure all light fixtures are clean and in good working order. Buy outdoor light fixtures with the latest metal finishes, especially if the existing ones are older than a decade. Install solar-powered or low-voltage landscape lighting to illuminate the sidewalk and steps. Attach solar-powered house numbers to siding and mailboxes. Be sure to turn on all outside lights when there is a showing at dusk or later.

HOMEY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

During the holidays, keep decorations tastefully simple. For example, hang a wreath on the door, string tiny white lights (no reds or greens) in your seasonal planters or on the trees and shrubs in the front yard. Other than that, keep holiday decorating to a minimum. "No plastic figures or inflatable snowmen," said Tensing. "The focus needs to be on the front of the house, not the decorations."

BUYER VIEWPOINT

Head to the street and look at your house with a fresh, critical eye or cruise by for a view from the car. "Don't forget to drive by the competition and see what they're doing," Tensing said. If your home has been on the market a while, try shooting new exterior photos that depict the home in winter.

Lynn Underwood • 612-673-7619

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