The Fastest & Cheapest Way to Boost Your Curb Appeal Over the Winter

The Fastest & Cheapest Way to Boost Your Curb Appeal Over the Winter

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The Fastest (and Cheapest) Way to Boost Your Curb Appeal Over the Winter

The spring selling season is just around the corner, but you can’t wait that long. You’re a motivated seller and you need to sell your home right now.

You’ve most likely had a major life-change (like a new job, a new baby, or a new divorce) force your hand. Not to worry. This wasn’t your Plan A, but that doesn’t mean you need to settle.

You can’t do the usual landscaping touches like gardening or manicuring your lawn, but you can still boost your home’s curb appeal while there is snow on the ground. And you can close the deal for a great price before the spring season even starts.

Here is what you need to do.

Start With Your Front Door

Is your front door boring and forgettable? It’s time to add some wow factor to the front of your home and make a strong first impression. It’s time to replace your entry door with something newer, more energy-efficient, and more stylish.

If you’re selling your home in a colder climate (and if you’re reading this, you likely are), you might consider looking at steel front doors that are injected with polyurethane foam. These can add some brag-worthy R-value and energy-efficiency to your home.

Hydro rates in the GTA just went up again. With no relief in sight, this is going to place a higher-than-ever importance on a would-be home’s energy-efficiency.

For the budget-minded home-seller, fiberglass front doors can give you the same look and aesthetic of classic wooden doors, at a lower price. They also require far less maintenance, with no painting or staining required.

Update Your Garage Door

If you replace your garage door and your front door at the same time, you can completely revamp the look of your home’s front façade. This is why these two upgrades offer very strong returns-on-investment when looking to flip or sell a home.

You can also update to an insulated garage door to add more of the energy-efficiency we mentioned earlier. This also makes it possible for the new owners to use the garage as a gym, workshop, yoga studio or play area.

You can also boast about the added convenience and security features that a modern, Wi-Fi-enabled garage door opener can add to your home.

Make “Small” Upgrades With a Big Impact

In situations like these, the little things can make a big difference.

You can also change the look of your exterior with small and inexpensive updates, such as new:

 

  • House numbers
  • Exterior light fixtures
  • Mailboxes
  • Driveway lights
  • Door Knockers

 

If you combine these new additions with the new colour scheme from a new front door and garage door combo, you can completely change the look and feel of your exterior. You can dramatically boost your curb appeal, even if your actual curb is covered in a foot of snow.

 

Skip the Hot Tub

Ok, this upgrade is more likely in the backyard and not part of your curb appeal, per se. However, it’s still an exterior addition that a lot of people consider when selling the home over the winter months.

You can give would-be buyers a tour of the home and end it by showing them the warm and inviting oasis in the backyard. Who wouldn’t want that, right? Well, it turns out, a lot of people.

As we said earlier, hydro rates are sky-high right now and a lot of people may see a hot tub as an energy-sucker; particularly if they’ve owned one in the past. A hot tub could actually be a turn-off for these people.

Sure, this could be appealing to a nurse who spends all day on their feet, or someone who plays sports and wants to soak in the evening. However, those people are just as likely to be scared of the hydro costs.

Just because you can put a hot tub in over the winter, doesn’t mean you should. In competitive real estate markets, buyers are typically more drawn to value over flash.

Add More Light

Your home will most likely be shown after the sun goes down during the winter months. This is why you need to take steps to ensure that your home still looks warm and inviting on cold and dark winter nights.

Add some unconventional and unexpected lighting to the front of your home. We’ve already mentioned adding some driveway lights, which can make a big impact. You can even add a touch of old-world elegance with a decorative lamppost style light at the top or bottom of the driveway.

Downward soffit lighting can also instantly add more light to the front, while also adding a ton of style. If you happen to have a covered porch, you can take things up a notch by adding a statement pendant from the ceiling, or even a patio chandelier. Just make sure they can stand up to Ontario’s cold winters.

… Oh, and make sure you finally take down the Christmas lights.

As you can see, you have a lot of choices. Just because you’re in a hurry to sell, doesn’t mean you’re stuck showing your home as-is. You can still make some great (and cost-effective) upgrades that will have an almost instant impact on your home’s curb appeal.

We Can Help You Sell Your Home!

We are proud to be the #1 rated garage door company in the GTA and area, based on our commitment to quality and amazing customer service. See why countless satisfied customers look for the Dodds name.

We have retail stores and provide garage door services in Richmond Hill and the Markham area. You can also find us in Hamilton, Guelph, Oakville, and Newmarket. Want to find a location near you? Call us at 1-877-503-6337.