There can be little doubt that the kind of weather we're dealing with in West Michigan right now makes most people want to stay inside, under a blanket, warm and dry. With snow predicted through the rest of this week, it's likely that many people who might be interested in buying a home will be staying in, although there are plenty of buyers who don't have the luxury of waiting for a warmer moment to move. Those experiencing changes in family status or shifts in their job may simply need to buy and move before spring. Make the most of the winter weather, and use it to make your home more appealing to potential buyers.
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Snow can cover up minor landscaping issues, such as patchy grass. In the spring and summer, your ability to grow and care for a lawn and garden beds will have a direct impact on the curb appeal and visual appeal of your home for sale. Buyers, aware that interred plants are considered part of the real property they are looking at, may easily be wooed by your impressive hydrangeas or delightfully scented lilac bush. On the other side of the proverbial coin, a lack of flowering plants, dry or straggly grass, or worse, a completed untended yard space full of weeds may do quite a bit to turn prospective buyers off when considering your property. A yard's impact can be so great that potential buyers may make up their mind against your property before they even set foot inside. The thick blanket of snow on the ground will provide a buffer for sellers with brown thumbs, allowing them to present their house on its structural merits and not just the attractiveness of the landscaping.
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The chilly outside can make your home seem very cozy. Have a massive fireplace in the main family space and a showing scheduled? Build up a nice, roaring blaze to welcome the people who will be touring the home. Fires have a kind of mystery and magic to them that can make a space feel very homey and romantic. No fireplace? No problem. Toss some pre-made cookie dough in the oven to fill your home with the rich, inviting scent of fresh-basked, gooey cookies, and have some hot chocolate mix and a kettle on standby. Warming the bodies of your potential buyers will make them feel right at home, thus warming their hearts to your home.
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Snow-scape your home to make it a winter palace. Leave a window or two facing the street slightly cracked, allowing the warmth of the house to melt snow on the room over the window, producing sparkling and beautiful icicles. Send the kids out into the yard to make a snowman, or better yet, do it yourself to produce something truly visually appealing. Snow too cold for packing? Try using a misting spray bottle to artificially produce the kind of snow that molds well in human hands. From the street, your home will look lovely, and the snowman will give an impression of a happy family home, sure to entice parents to consider raising their own children there.
Here at Pyxis Realty, our experienced, educated staff of licensed realtors is ready to help you with buying or selling a home on the Grand Rapids real estate market or the broader West Michigan real estate market, no matter what the weather. Call us today to get the ball rolling on your next real estate transaction!