It’s no secret that listing in the winter can be tricky, though buyer demand in our market really hasn’t slowed down for the time being despite being in the middle of a pandemic as well as election season. That said, sellers still have things to do to prep for the open market if they not only want their home to sell for top dollar, but also want to protect the structure from the elements in general and during showings. Here are some thoughts to consider when listing your Denver area Mid-Century Modern home in the wintertime:

1. Check your roof drainage and make sure the roof isn’t leaking and that there is no ice damming. Mid-Century Modern roofs are the toughest challenge of a home when it comes to colder weather temps, especially in our very extreme freeze / thaw cycles where it can be super cold one day and warm the next. Nothing kills a buyer buzz on a MCM home during a showing than seeing a leak coming in from the roof on the inside in the middle of winter. Also, during these months, melted snow tends to pool on the tops of flat roofs and buyers may be eyeballing this during showings. While pooling water on flat roofs during this season is almost inevitable, it may be wise on warmer days to try and dry it off before showings. Ice damming is also a common problem with MCM rooflines - make sure you have proper drainage because if you don’t.. buyers will notice as the water begins to melt.

2. Require buyers to wear foot booties or take off their shoes upon entering the home. Buyers coming in from the snow with mud on their shoes is NOT a pretty sight for new or old carpet, and tracking in dirt or mud can still be an issue during showings even if there is plastic laid down on the floor. Request that buyers who come through your home take their shoes off during showings as to avoid this in the future.

3. Make sure the home still has great curb appeal. While it’s kind of hard to paint the exterior of a home in the middle of winter, and typically the snow covers up bad or non-existent landscaping jobs, an indoor-outdoor connection will still matter to the buyer because they know the house will look different in the summertime. Make sure that despite the colder temps, that your home still has attractive curb appeal (this can easily be achieved with a cool mid mod mailbox, outdoor light fixtures, a fun doorbell, carports in good shape, a creative front door design, an atrium space or entryway where guests can take off their shoes, etc.

4. Check your pipes. If the home is an estate or is currently vacant with nobody living in it, make sure that the water is shut off and alert buyers coming through the home that it is shut off before they enter so that nobody uses the restroom. If nobody is living in the home, the last thing you want is a pipe to burst in the middle of a showing and the basement to flood.

5. Ensure that the heat and light fixtures are working and ON for showings. A lot of times buyers are coming through showings late at night after it gets dark because that’s the only time they can get off of work. Remember that your house needs to show well in the light AND in the dark in this circumstance, and nothing sucks more than to show a house where the interior or exterior light fixtures aren’t working or when people can’t find the light switches. If you can swing it, it’s best to keep the lights on. Also, nobody wants to show a home in the cold and that is a surefire way for any buyer to feel uncomfortable and want to leave or feel uncertain about purchasing the home. Everyone knows that unless the drywall and insulation and windows have been redone in the property, many MCM homes can be COLD due to poor insulation, so the more you get that heat cranking, the better off you are in potentially selling the home.

6. Still consider staging if the home needs it. Many MCM home sellers have great furniture already, but if the home is vacant or needs some design love, consider working with your agent (hopefully us!) to add some design details in and spruce the place up a bit. Homeowners want to know that once they move in that the home is going to feel cozy, especially in the cold.. it needs to look inviting too!

7. Test any gas fireplaces. Buyers will likely turn this on and off in the middle of showings to make sure that it works in the cold weather.. make sure this works or it will likely come up on an Inspection Objection report anyways.

8. Take pictures at the right time of day in the right weather and properly highlight key features. Winter sunlight can be super BRIGHT and taking photos of your home at the right time of day is still very important, or they could get washed out. If the home has a view for example, on a really cold day buyers may not be able to see it if there are any low laying clouds, so you want to make sure that you capture details like this in photography on a clear day. While having snow on the ground for photos is no problem for a photographer to work with, you still want to make sure that the buyer can see all of the best aspects of your home and that photos aren’t being taken in the middle of a snowstorm.

9. Consider building a coat closet or providing a coat rack during showings. Lots of buyers look for places to store their winter gear in colder temps and having a coat closet upon entry is a game changer for them. Not all MCM homes have this, so if you have the space you may consider building one, or providing a fun hanger like a Eames Hang It All for guests to hand their coats on upon entry.

10. Shovel the driveway and the walkways if it snows. Buyers want to be able to drive up to the home as if it was their own and definitely don’t like having to trudge through the snow because the seller was lazy and didn’t want to shovel for them. As a common courtesy, shovel your walkway before winter showings.

These are just a few thoughtful ideas - for more help on how to put your best foot forward when listing your mid-century modern home, contact Stephanie at 303.345.5886 or email her at stephanie@milehimodern.com