Winter is known for many things, the least of which may be that it’s the best season to sell a home. Granted, winter isn’t exactly the most convenient time to move, but according to a study from real estate company Redfin, homes listed between December and March sell faster than homes listed in other months, and for more money. (That’s been the case recent years, at least — the market changes often).

Redfin says that anytime between December and May is an ideal time to list your home — and February is the hands-down the best month. The company’s analysis of nationwide listings from 2014 showed that 74 percent of homes listed in February sold within 90 days, and 13 percent of them sold for more than the list price. (Compare that to September, when 61 percent of homes sold within 90 days and October, when just five percent sold above list price).

In short, “shoppers in January and February are motivated,” says Christin Camacho, a Redfin spokesperson. “They’re looking in winter because they need to move, not because they’re just looking for fun.” And if people are going to brave the cold to house hunt during winter, then they’re going to make their effort worthwhile.

But before you pull a huge remodel to get it ready for the market, let’s get one thing clear: Interior designers, realtors and home stagers almost unanimously agree that you should NOT stage large-scale remodels of ANY kind before selling your house. The investment, they say, simply isn’t worth it.

The key to successfully selling your home lies in mini renovations — the ones you can do on tight budgets, in a couple of days, and (most of the time) without professional help.