Last Updated on January 23, 2025
When selling your home, presentation is key. And presentation begins at the front door. That’s why curb appeal is one of the most important things to consider when selling your home.
A clean, well-maintained entrance can go a long way toward establishing a positive first impression. And that great first impression sets the tone for the rest of a buyer’s tour of your home. Small and inexpensive updates to your home’s curb appeal can really make a big difference when selling a home—both in the time it takes to sell and the price offered.
When the leaves (and snow!) begin falling and shadows lengthen, curb appeal can be difficult to maintain. Here are five cheap and easy ways to improve your cold-weather curb appeal.
1. Add a potted plant
When your established landscaping begins to fade with the season, punch up your home’s curb appeal by adding potted plants to the porch. Seasonal colors like violas and pansies, or other native plants will make your entrance look fresh and lively. Or you can opt for an evergreen that will look good all year long. Keep plants looking great all winter by protecting them on cold nights. When the temperature dips below freezing, cover the plants with a sheet or bring them inside overnight.
2. Incorporate lighting
Daylight is short during the winter months, but busy home buyers have no days to waste! Adding lights along the walkways to your front door makes your home feel more welcoming. And when installed permanently, outdoor lighting is also a great way to raise the value of your home! For the home seller on a budget, flood lights or battery-powered lanterns are a great way to brighten the front door quickly—literally and in terms of curb appeal.
3. Frame the front door
Your front door is more than the entrance to your home. It’s the key to your home’s curb appeal. So, frame it to look its best! Refresh the door wreath and mat, especially if they’re seasonal designs. Install flood lights or lanterns to brighten the front door. And add a fresh coat of paint. Consider a bold or cheery color, especially one that sets the tone for your home’s interior design.
4. Sweep doubts away before each showing
Fall colors look great on your trees, but become a big eyesore as soon as the leaves hit the ground. Snow can be even more cumbersome. Don’t give potential buyers any reason to discount your property. Clear gutters and downspouts of debris. Keep the front porch and walkways swept or shoveled. And don’t forget to look up, as well. If you can’t pressure wash your home and windows, make sure to at least sweep away dust and grime as often as you can.
5. Refresh your mailbox
Once you’ve taken care of the up-close view of your home, step back to see what it looks like from the road. Is your mailbox ruining the view? Start by giving it a deep clean with a sponge and warm, soapy water. If it’s covered with mold or algae, scrub it again with a vinegar dilution. Once it’s clean and dry, dress up your mailbox for the season or refresh it with a new coat of paint. There are some rules around how much decor you can add to your mailbox, especially if your home is governed by an HOA, but the only limit is your imagination.
Is your cold-weather curb appeal ready for home buyers?
Many things can contribute to curb appeal: the landscaping around the house, the quality of the paint job, and perhaps most important of all, the front door that serves as the front entryway to your home. Does your home have the kind of cold-weather curb appeal that appeals to home buyers?
Before you put up a “for sale” sign, take a walk across the street. Look at your house, then walk up to the front door, stand at the front door for two minutes, and make notes of everything you notice. Most buyers will typically wait with their real estate agent while the agent endeavors to open the front door. That means they spend a good bit of time in that small space forming opinions about the rest of the house.
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Allen Tate is the Carolinas’ largest real estate company with more than 70 offices and 1,800 Realtors in the Charlotte, Triad, Triangle, High Country, Upstate SC, Highlands/Cashiers and Asheville/Mountain regions. Allen Tate is a partner of Howard Hanna Real Estate, the largest privately held real estate broker in the U.S., with 500 real estate, mortgage, insurance, title, and escrow service offices and 15,000 sales associates and staff across 13 states. For more information, visit www.allentate.com and www.howardhanna.com.
