There's no winter in the real estate world: in essence, every season has its perks. Limited inventory during wintertime is one of them. It particularly motivates NYC sellers to choose this period to list their property for sale. Even though the demand for New York apartments is continuously growing, it doesn't mean your property shouldn't look its best. Apart from decluttering, deep cleaning, and cosmetic improvements, staging your NYC apartment to sell in winter shifts focus to a slightly overlooked asset: the ambiance only house plants can provide.

What can indoor plants do to help the sale?

Plant life has been intriguing interior designers for a long time. It was a show of true mastery to incorporate the color and form of indoor plants in modern home design. Often bordering the minimalistic setup, an NYC apartment can and should afford the warmth emanating from these little pieces of nature. But aside from their apparent aesthetic value, plants in your home come with various practical uses. Some of which you can benefit from while preparing your home for sale during winter:

●       Indoor plants give a sense of scale and create visual depth.

●       By filling empty space, they become a visual focal point.

●       Plants add coziness to the home without personalizing it.

●       Some plants acting as air-purifiers enhance home office space.

Even if you're not a gifted gardener, you shouldn't despair. Growing house plants has an excellent alternative in purchasing faux plants. Before you raise your finger in objection, bear in mind that artificial plants have gone a long way from sad-looking plastic fakes. Many NYC florists have faux plants in their offer, the quality products daring you to spot the difference.

Once you close the deal

If your home staging was a success leading to a satisfying sale, what comes next? Hiring reliable local movers is the easiest way to handle the move after selling your current home. It is also the safest and quickest solution, should you need to pack and move out on short notice. If you plan to relocate with some of your house plants in tow, prepare for moving them yourself in your personal vehicle. Otherwise, they might get damaged in transport or wilt due to freezing or insufficient sunlight.

Which plants are your secret weapon?

The variety of plant(s) you choose depends on what you want to achieve during viewing. Although green is the new black, do your best to avoid overstaging and other mistakes during an open house. Whenever you're uncertain, consult with a staging expert.

Indoor plants as visual focal points

When staging your NYC apartment to sell in winter, you want to add as much warmth to your living room as possible. Visually, you can achieve that with specific colors, materials and textures, and plants. Vegetation like weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), Norfolk Island pine trees (Araucaria heterophylla), long-blooming Phalaenopsis orchids, or Majesty palm (Ravenea rivularis) will benefit your open space greatly.

Bonus tip: if pets are allowed in your apartment building and consequently in the apartment you're selling, choose plants that are non-toxic to animals. If the specific plant variety makes a great addition to your home staging concept, think of an alternative. Buying a faux plant comes as the best solution here.

House plants that create ambiance

In black thumb circles known as friendly cacti, succulents are a preference of every seller and every buyer. After all, who wants to purchase a home with high-maintenance plants?

●       There is a great variety of forms and colors, making succulents easy to style and combine with other home decor elements.

●       Newly planted succulents are small and fit even tiny NYC apartments without making them look overstuffed.

●       These sun-loving plants are easy to care for, requiring water only once in ten to fifteen days.

●       They are an excellent fit for bathroom staging, adding the feel of spa luxury and warmth in an otherwise sterile atmosphere.

With succulents, you have made a good choice wherever you place them. If you have any doubts, ask your real estate agent for tips.

Herbs that are as tasty as they're pretty

A kitchen that makes people enthusiastic about cooking is the top priority of staging. Apart from being impeccably clean, your kitchen should show off modern appliances and - plants. The best type of vegetation to place on your kitchen shelves is the one you can easily pluck and eat. The idea behind aromatic herbs in your kitchen is to help buyers imagine themselves cooking and enjoying delicious meals.

The most popular herbs, such as thyme, oregano, basil, and rosemary, are not only deliciously fragrant but also vividly green. The best part? You don't need a green thumb to grow them. As they also live in the wild, they are relatively low maintenance. Hence, if the plants you acquired are healthy, they will last throughout the process of staging your NYC apartment to sell in winter.

Plants for a breath of fresh indoor air

Home offices are sprouting in NYC apartments lately, and with them, the need for a comfortable and healthy workspace. This is where house plants can help! According to B. C. Wolverton, the NASA researcher whose study on indoor air purifiers is world-famous, you have an excellent choice. Among many others, absolute champions in indoor air purification include Peace lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa'), Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans), Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa), Florist's chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium), and two varieties of Dracaena fragrans, Janet Craig and Warneckei.

Although the initial study was performed over 30 years ago, his original list of plants only got more extensive. Other studies expanded his work over the years, adding new plants and air-borne toxins they remove. Although one may argue that taking care of the invisible is not the aim of staging, your clever choice of indoor plants in a home office or bedroom will certainly impress health-conscious buyers.

Turn over a new leaf in winter home staging

If you're staging your NYC apartment to sell in winter, indoor plants are your best ally. Real or faux, they form the contrast with the bleak and cold weather outside. A luxuriant, healthy, and nourishing sanctuary is precisely what buyers want this winter. And helping your home make the right impression is what you want to accomplish at an open house.