Planning to put your home on the market this fall or winter? There are steps you should take now to leverage your home’s curb appeal!

• Arrange to have your exterior photography done as soon as possible. Your late-summer lawn and landscape is probably more attractive to homebuyers than bare trees. Need tips? Check out our exterior photography pointers here »Note: Don’t let your listing photography get too far out of season. If you’re using spring photography in the middle of a snowy winter, your listing will look dated.

• Plan and execute major outdoor renovations before the weather turns bad. Everything from tree removal and concrete repairs to roof replacement and exterior painting can become more difficult—and maybe more costly—once you have to work around unpredictable temperatures and precipitation.

• Keep up with your lawn maintenance. Rake leaves as soon as they start to fall, prune trees and shrubs as needed, aggressively remove weeds and do what you can to keep your turf green and healthy as long as possible. Depending on your grass type and climate, a lawn care professional may have some recommendations for postponing winter dormancy.

• If your fall and winter flower beds and planters are typically barren, consider adding some cool-season bedding plants. Talk to your local nursery about good plant choices for your area, but some examples might include sedum, delphinium, asters, diascia, heather, chrysanthemums, calendulas and a variety of pansies. If you need something taller, many shrub species also have attractive foliage, fruits and/or flowers in the fall.When selecting your plants, try to keep a color scheme in mind. Pick a warm or cool color palette or choose complimentary colors, just as you would if you were accessorizing your living room. Too much color variety in flowers and foliage can make landscaping look busy or, worse, messy. Your flower beds should enhance your home, not distract from it. Better Homes & Gardens has an online tool that lets you search garden plants by a variety of characteristics, including bloom and foliage color, sunlight requirements, bloom time and more. Check it out »Note: Make sure your new plants will have enough time to establish themselves before the temperature drops too drastically, especially if you’re planting something other than annuals.

• Pay attention to exterior lighting. As the days get shorter, it becomes more likely that potential buyers will see your home at dusk or in the dark—especially if they’re scouting the neighborhood before scheduling a showing. Attractive outdoor lighting can help create a dramatic first impression.

Looking for more articles about creating curb appeal, home staging and other home-selling topics? Check out the For Sellers section of our blog!