While fall and winter are not the most popular times of year to sell a home, there are some advantages to selling during the low season. Off-season buyers tend to be more serious, and there’s less competition to deal with.
However, one downside of selling at this time of year is that many holidays are squeezed into a few short months. That means the chances of listing your home over a holiday are greater, and if you’re a big holiday decorator, this can put a damper on things.
If you are selling your home over the holidays, it’s important to keep decorations to a minimum. Even though you may not be able to decorate to the degree you usually do, it’s still possible to get into the holiday spirit. By keeping your trimmings stylish and subtle, you’ll help potential buyers imagine their own life in your home and make it the place where they want to celebrate the holidays.
Follow these tips to avoid making any missteps when selling your home over the holidays.
Work with a Quality Real Estate Agent
Your real estate agent should be more than someone who handles the paperwork or advertises your home. When you work with a quality realtor in Ajax, you have a great resource. If you’re unsure of how you should decorate your Ajax house, ask your real estate agent for suggestions or guidance.
Keep Decorations Small
While some holiday decor can be used to help enhance desirable features of your home, it’s important to refrain from going overboard. No matter what time of year you sell your home, you should try to declutter as much as possible to make your home feel bigger and more spacious. It’s counterproductive to fill up that space you’ve emptied with holiday decorations.
Large and excessive decorations can also distract buyers as they look through your home, or worse, cover up important selling features, like a fireplace.
Light on the Outdoor Lights
Similar to indoor decorations, when outdoor decorations are used, they should be small, tasteful and toned down. This means skipping the inflatable reindeer or candy canes and anything that makes noise. Many buyers will be turned off by them, plus they can cover up the features of your home that you should be promoting.
One way to get into the festive spirit is with lights. Some simple string lights around your home can bring a warm glow during the cooler months, and outdoor lighting is a common curb appeal strategy.
Prioritize Neutrality
Holiday decorations can often be religious. Even non-religious families may have a nativity scene. But if you’re selling your home, keeping these religious holiday decorations and any religious items packed away is essential.
Home staging is always about putting the house in the best light and setting the scene for buyers to imagine themselves living in the space. Even if buyers aren’t offended or turned off by religious decorations, they can make it more difficult to picture what they would do if they buy your home.
Follow these tips to enjoy the holiday season while making your home appealing to any buyers looking at it. Soon enough, you’ll be celebrating the holidays the way you want in your future home.
