The pace of home sales might cool off in winter, but the Connecticut housing market doesn’t freeze up completely. Family housing needs change, people relocate, financial circumstances compel moving and property dealers remain active at all times. Whichever side of the transaction you may be on, a winter purchase or sale is a realistic possibility, and there are ways to improve the chances of success.

If you are selling your home, you can make your house more appealing and accessible to potential buyers in the following ways:

• Take summer pictures — Your listing should include photos of the property during the summer, when houses usually have the best curb appeal.
• Shovel the snow — Clear the driveway and shovel the walkways to make it easy for buyers to get to the door.
• Keep the deck and patio areas visible — Make sure they’re clear of snow so a buyer can see their potential.
• Make things green — Spruce up the entry way with seasonal plants. If you have evergreens or shrubs outside, shake off the snow.
• Improve the lighting — Open curtains to let in natural light and turn the lights on when a potential buyer comes to visit.
• Keep the windows clean — South-facing windows are especially important because so much sunlight comes in from that direction.
• Warm things up, literally — If the house has a gas fireplace, turn it on. Also, turn the thermostat up a degree or two.

If you are buying in winter, the good news is that you might face less competition. Many buyers sit on the sidelines as they think about holidays, traveling and the perceived difficulty of moving in cold weather. Reduced competition can mean better prices, too. Keep these winter home buying tips in mind:

• Think maintenance and energy costs — Looking at a home in winter gives you a chance to find problems that you perhaps wouldn’t notice in summer, such as heating and insulation issues. If you see any of these, you know you could be looking at higher energy bills and other expenses.
• Take advantage of cheaper moving costs — Fewer people use moving services in the winter, so many movers are more flexible in their scheduling and pricing.
• Don’t make your offer too low — There may be fewer buyers in the market in winter, but that doesn’t mean you should lowball a seller. Be realistic about your offer while trying to get a good deal.

Whether you’re buying or selling in winter, a Connecticut real estate lawyer can help your transaction go smoothly by accounting for special winter-related items, such as the difficulty of getting a timely inspection and the chances of problems going unnoticed due to weather conditions.

At Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. our residential real estate attorneys help buyers and sellers carry out successful transactions year-round. Call us at 203-745-0942 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with a lawyer in Hamden or East Haven.