David Cieslak is the owner and principal stylist of Signature Staging.
When selling a home in the winter months, you never quite know if the weather is going to cooperate. Though I have vivid memories of the 60-degree day we just had, as I look out my window, I realize that the real Chicago winter is back with a vengeance.
With that being said, what better time than now to provide some simple guidelines for your home sellers, or you as agents to make your listings ready for showings during these snowy times:
- Make sure all pathways and sidewalks are clear – Keeping these areas clear not only eliminates a possible safety hazard, but presents a well-maintained listing.
- Maintain an inviting entryway – If there are planters, show some evergreen plants, or birch logs to create a warm and inviting first impression. Curb appeal is year round!
- Keep a mat at the front door – While you can’t expect all potential buyers to take off their snowy shoes, a mat at the front door will at least present an opportunity to prevent a lot of snow from being tracked through the house.
- Keep the heat on – If you are showing an unoccupied listing, get there a few minutes early and turn up the heat. You wouldn’t want a potential buyer to come in from the cold and into the cold!
- Keep lights on timers – This especially goes for any landscaping lights, or a light in the entry. A potential buyer may want to drive past a listing on their way home from work, so make sure the home is illuminated to show how stunning it is at night!
These are just a few tips how you, or your home stager, can work with home sellers on making that lasting positive first impression. If you have any further questions, or would like more information on the process of home staging, please feel free to contact me at david@signaturechicago.com
Stay Warm!
The owner and principal stylist of Signature Staging, David Cieslak is known for his excellence in taste, service and efficiency, and gives Realtors and their clients’ homes a competitive edge. A Certified Staging Professional, Cieslak is also the vice president of the Chicago Chapter of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), and his work has been featured on LX.TV OpenHouse, which airs on NBC. He was also a RESA Stager of the Year Nominee for the Midwest in 2012.