As winter comes, keeping your home for sale attractive and inviting is critical.

We found a great article over at Realty Times, an industry site that reports trends, news and thoughtful opinion on many real estate topics. This article about maintaining curb appeal through the winter caught our eye.

Most buyers know, when it comes to selling your home, a first impression is sometimes all you have — especially in today’s competitive environment. The article discussed many tips and ideas to keep potential buyers interested — and entice them to stop by and take a look inside. Specifically:

You look mah-velous. Sure, you upgraded the inside of your home and have it staged beautifully. But remember, during the dreary winter months, the outside of your home should look cheerful and inviting. Paint or re-stain the front door, repair the roof and gutters if needed and keep the garage doors and windows clean.

Sit a spell. If you have a porch, keep it uncluttered yet appealing. Replace a worn out doormat. Update lighting or even add wall sconces. Perhaps adding planters or urns flanking the door to draw in potential buyers.

Keep it clean. Your front yard’s appearance is just as important as the actual house’s. Rake the yard and keep it neat and tidy. Clean up toys and trash and put out he garbage can and recycling bins only on days when there is a pick-up — and promptly bring them back into the garage or storage area.

Green, green, green. With our harsh, Illinois winters, it’s difficult to have landscaping that is very attractive. Consider replanting key areas in the front with evergreens, pines and holly bushes — all stay green and give an appearance of vitality when there’s piles of snow.

Pathway to success. Speaking of piles of snow, be sure that there’s a clear path to your front door. That means extra attention to to sidewalks, the driveway and other areas buyers are likely to walk on. Add extra lighting if necessary.

As the article says, it “doesn’t require a lot of money to improve your home’s curb appeal. But what it does take is careful planning, due diligence and a bit of creativity.” That’s never more true than now, when making your home even more attractive to a smaller number of buyers is critical.