Curb appeal in Winter

The days are growing longer, but we are still in the depths of winter here in Green County. Helping a home to have some curb appeal this time of year is a bit harder than in the summer months with gardens blooming, but it is still possible to do things to help.

~ Clear your driveway, sidewalks and porches of all snow and ice. Get out there right away after a snow storm to clean them off. If you do get a buildup in ice in spots from driving into the garage or people walking on the sidewalk, pick up a scraper at Farm & Fleet or Ace Hardware to clean that off. If buyers worry about slipping as they approach a home, it alters how they see the inside.

~ If you still have any holiday decorations or lights up, remove them immediately. By now, these are stale decor and they give the impression of a home that is not maintained as quickly as it ought to be.

~ Look up. Do you have huge icicles hanging down from your eaves or other issues on the roof or gutters? This isn't the best time of year to get up there to take care of an ice dam, but you can at least get out there with a roof rake if needed.

~ Store away that garden equipment and patio furniture. Having the chaise lounge sitting under a mound of snow on the deck doesn't remind people of summer entertaining. It can, however, make some people think you don't maintain your possessions.

~ Make sure all your exterior lights have working bulbs. This helps make your property more inviting for evening showings and helps people see the back yard.

~ Take advantage of whatever winter greenery you do have in your garden. If your evergreens are bowing low under the weight of snow and ice, get out there and shake them free. People are drawn to natural beauty, and while a dusting of snow on everything is lovely, it isn't so attractive to see bushes looking like they will collapse.

~ Throw some greens, ribbons or holly into your porch planters. These decorations look fresh all winter and help add some interest outdoors. Consider a decorative basket of pinecones next to your front door or create a small still-life decoration using those old snowshoes. Don't go overboard. Toss out the worn out welcome mats and get some neutral mats in modern styles.

~ Don't keep the snow shovels and bucket of salt right by the door. Put these into the garage or basement after use. It might not be as handy, but these things are not appealing.

~ Make sure your windows are sparklingly clean. It will show if they aren't. Also check your blinds and curtains. These are visible from outside, so make sure they are lined up in a nicely symmetrical manner. Symmetry makes things more attractive to the human eye, so don't have the blinds in one bedroom half open and fully open in the room next door. From the outside, it is a dissonant chord.

~ Encourage the kids to play in the back yard. The unbroken blanket of snow on the front grass is more appealing than one that has been crisscrossed with tracks, snow angels and half-created snowmen. As a mom, I know this is a party-pooper thing to say, but these things are visually distracting.

Owners of vacant homes, this one is for you

This is a repost of a blog from last winter. The message is a valuable one for owners of homes that will sit vacant for any period of time this winter.

Vacant Houses + Wisconsin Winters = Potential Disaster

It seems to happen every year. A seller has a vacant home and does not get there to check on things regularly because of being busy or being out of the area. The homeowner assumes everything is fine because the furnace was running and the heat was set somewhere in the 50 degree range.

Until the unthinkable happens. A power outage takes out the electronic pilot. Something trips a circuit breaker. A weird fluke interrupts things and the furnace stops functioning. Even if the homeowner or a neighbor is checking in once a week or every few days, a home can sit in the bitter cold for days without anyone knowing.

No heat in these Wisconsin winters means one thing for a home - frozen pipes.

This does not need to happen. There is a nifty little gadget called a Freeze Alarm. It is battery operated and sits in the home, monitoring the temperature. If the temperature falls below or rises above parameters set by the homeowner, the freeze alarm will call for help.

Freeze alarms are not cheap; models can run over $400. However, a basic model can be purchased for under $100. Freeze alarms are easy to locate online, and Amazon.com offers a variety of them. You will also have to maintain a basic telephone line for the freeze alarm to call out on. There are other models that turn on a special light in the home when the temperature falls below a specific level. These models are less expensive, but you need to have nearby neighbors willing to keep an eye on things for you.

Even with those expenses, a freeze alarm can be a bargain when balanced against the cost of repairing burst pipes and the damage they can cause.

Don't be caught unaware this winter.

Is That a Lawn or a Cross Country Ski Trail?

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening.

It happened again today.

A beautiful sight,
We're happy tonight.

My buyer and I pulled up to a home in the country. The setting was wonderful - mature trees dotted the spacious yard. Such a peaceful spot. The snow stretched out in front of us, unblemished by anything more than the tracks of a few animals.

Walking in a winter wonderland.

Wait a minute. That unblemished snow covered the driveway and front walk.

We had 40 inches of snow in December, more in January. There was a thaw in between there, but there was still close to three feet of snow stretching out for about hundred yards between us and the house. Thankfully, we had an ice storm in there too, so there was enough of a crust of ice on the snow to allow us to balance on top of most of it, wading through only about six inches of powder.

If buyer cannot get to a house, they cannot fall in love with the house. If they cannot fall in love, they will not buy. An inaccessible driveway also makes the home feel difficult to care for in the winter months, a negative before they even walk in the door.

Even if a home is vacant, hire out a local service to come clear the driveway and walks. In our area, that will cost about $30 per snow in the city, $50 in the country. It is an investment in selling your home.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland is a lovely song, and a great description for yard stretching out behind a home. Just don't let it describe the sidewalk and driveway please.