Part of the home selling process involves creating an atmosphere that makes people more interested in buying your home. This includes making sure that your home is safe for Buyers and Realtors that are coming for a tour. Here are some tips to make your home a safe and welcoming place during showings throughout the winter months.
Clear your doorstep, walkways, and driveway.
You will need to keep these areas free of snow and ice. If these areas are prone to iciness, keep a bag of salt or sand on hand to treat slippery spots. If you run out of salt or sand, you can throw on kitty litter, sawdust, or wood ashes. Keep an eye out for areas that tend to ice up after a thaw and be sure to check those spots regularly. If you will be away on vacation, hire someone to do regular snow removal during your absence.
Deice your locks.
No one can see how great your home is if they cannot even get inside! Regularly check and use your front door lock to ensure that it is not frozen. If your front door lock is prone to freezing over, clean the lock regularly and lubricate it with a product that will not freeze easily.
Turn on your exterior lights.
Turning on your exterior lights can increase the curb appeal of your home and illuminate a safe passageway for visiting Buyers and Realtors. Be sure to brush off any outdoor light fixtures that tend to collect snow. Increase the brightness of your exterior lights by installing super bright LED lights. You can also install landscape lighting along the pathway to further improve visibility.
Remove ice dams.
Ice dams are a buildup of snow and ice on your roof caused by blocked eavestroughs or a lack of adequate insulation in your attic. Large icicles hanging off your roof via eavestroughs are a sign that you may have an ice dam. Carefully remove any overhanging icicles that could injure someone if they crashed to the ground.
Provide Buyers with an easily accessible and safe place to leave their boots and winter clothes.
This is your chance to highlight the functionality of your home the minute Buyers walk through the door! Buyers are more likely to slip on wood, tile, or linoleum floors if they are walking through your house in wet footwear. Create an area as close to your front door as possible where Buyers can remove their footwear as well as other bulky outerwear.
Install a carbon monoxide detector.
Carbon monoxide buildup is most likely to occur during the winter months. Keep your family and your Buyers safe by monitoring changes to interior carbon monoxide levels.
These six tips can help create a safe experience for Buyers and Realtors!