Charter One Realty Blog

If you plan to put your house on the market this season, we have a few suggestions to help you sell. Buyers tend to be extra motivated during this time of year, so we have gathered our best tips to help your listing stand out among the current inventory.

If you love to decorate for the holidays and/or have a busy hosting schedule coming up, you may be wondering, “How do I sell my home during the holidays without getting in the way of my life”?

Even in this fast-paced market, you must consider the possibility that your home may not sell right away, meaning the marketing materials (photos, videos, etc.) should be free and clear of decor.

You’ll also need to have some flexibility in your schedule for the inevitable showings.

If you want to take advantage of this amazing market and the peak sales season, read on for more tips to sell your home during the holidays! 

Sell Your Home During The Holidays: Staging Tips 

One of the biggest tips we can give is to take photos of your home before you decorate with holiday cheer. Stage your home to the best of your ability (or hire a professional staging company), and replace ultra-personal decor like family photos and heirlooms with widely trending pieces.

Your Realtor will coordinate taking professional photos and potentially a video as well. We suggest keeping the focus on evergreen, year-round images to paint the complete picture of life in your home. 

Sometimes things slide during this busy time of year, and details can easily be passed over. Here are a few tips to help a buyer visualize themselves in your home when they view your photos:

• Consider including a handful of spring or summertime exterior photos in your listing. Buyers will be able to see past the bare trees and dormant grass and have a nice representation of what to see. 

• You can also include photos of your seasonally decorated home, but only if the decor is simple and tasteful.

Making Your Home Cozy During the Holidays

Can you name one or two things you absolutely love about coming home? Whether it’s turning on the fireplace, warming up with a cozy throw blanket, or having a toasty drink by the fire pit - make those things priorities for your potential buyers when they walk through the door, too! 

When showings happen, buyers will be coming in from the cold temperatures. Make sure the home is warm inside and out. Show off your home like all of our best friends and family are coming to celebrate. 

If your real estate agent is able to easily and safely light the fireplace(s) and fire pits, do that. If that is not an option, have him or her light a candle or two, set out cookies or other baked goods, and turn on ambient lighting. 

Sell Your Home During The Holidays: Do I Need a Real Estate Agent?

It’s true, real estate is one of those industries that never sleeps! We’re seeing record numbers of For Sale By Owner scenarios in this market, and along with it, sellers end up losing out. Oftentimes the buyers come with an agent, meaning they have the upper hand of legal, experienced support leaving the seller with the short end of the stick. 

Now more than ever, sellers need experienced real estate agents to guide them through the process and ensure they get the absolute highest value for their property. 

Many people have deadlines and need to sell by a certain time so they can move, and this holiday season is no exception. A great agent will bring a network of buyers with them. This is a good time of year to work with someone who already has the connections; all you have to do is deliver on preparing for the showings!

As always, be sure to keep your home clean and tidy while selling your home during the holiday season. If you plan to host parties, you may splurge for a cleaning service afterward to help ensure the house is show-ready.

Conclusion

Be sure to take time to relax during the home selling process, even though it is the holidays! Connect with a dependable agent, decorate your home modestly and keep your home extra warm and cozy during showings–it doesn’t take much to make a big payday! A relaxed seller can send the buyer the right message and entice them to place an offer. Remember to:

1. Stage your home and capture the photos and videos before you decorate for the holidays. Bonus points for including exterior springtime images. 

2. Keep it cozy inside and outside! Warm temperatures and lighting create a cozy feeling any time of day. 

3. Hire a real estate agent you can trust to keep selling your home a priority during this busy time of year.

Have you considered selling your home during the holiday season? What tips do you have to share?

Tell us in the comments below!