Selling your home through the holiday season can certainly come with a few challenges. With that being said, how do you present your real estate property around that time? Some people think they have to stifle the spirit and abandon traditions entirely if their house is on the market from October through December. You can still celebrate the season and make your home attractive to potential buyers. Here's how:
1) Clean and declutter before you decorate.
Before you decorate your home for the holidays, your house needs to be cleaned and decluttered. If your living room is already piled high with clutter and knick knacks, your ceramic reindeer collection is only going to add to the sense of overcrowding. A lot of people, when they decorate, use all the extra space in their house. You still want each space to look as spacious as possible.
2) Deck the halls, but don't go overboard.
The less-is-more mantra of real estate home staging may tempt you to forgo holiday cheer this year. But with a few subtle touches like a bowl of pinecones, an evergreen wreath or garland, or some simple neutral colored string lights can create a warm and festive feeling in your home. You want to keep the interior of your home "neutral" because you want to appeal to a broad spectrum of people. The same philosophy should be kept for the outside as well.
3) Be an equal-opportunity decorator.
Leave the life-sized Nativity scene in storage this year, because overtly religious flourishes may be off-putting to some buyers. You want to keep neutrality throughout, so you can attract any type of buyer. Overdoing some Halloween decorations can do the same thing, try to give a more neutral/fall feel with those if possible.
4) Mind the tree.
A tall Christmas tree can help you show off your two-story great room, but make sure the wide base won’t overwhelm the floor space. If your living area is on the small side, save space with a skinny tree. Swap the flashy heirloom ornaments and trim your tree in a cohesive theme such as icicle lights and gold tinsel, for example, or red and gold glass balls. Also, to create more floor space refrain from leaving any presents under the tree.
We hope these tips encourage you if you are listing your real estate property during the holidays!