The holiday season may seem like a tough time to sell your home—but actually, opportunity abounds! Here are some seasonally-specific home selling tips from Sold.com:
- Decorate tastefully and with restraint.
- Keep your home clean and tidy.
- Don’t neglect curb appeal.
- Price to sell.
- Market, market, market!
- Make sure your home offers warmth and comfort to buyers.
- Ensure the right information to make home selling decisions.
Historically, the holiday season has been regarded as the most challenging time of the year for home sellers. It’s not that way any longer. Thanks to real estate apps, potential buyers can tour countless properties from the comfort of their warm, cozy couch—only venturing out into the cold when they find something they really like. And for sellers, the holidays offer a huge advantage: There tend to be far fewer homes on the market, which makes it easier for yours to stand out.
And with the right strategy, you can make your holiday listing the most appealing of them all—getting your home sold quickly and for maximum value. Consider it a Christmas gift to yourself!
But where to begin with your holiday strategy? Consider these seasonal home selling tips.
Decorate, but show some restraint
One of the most common questions about seasonal staging is, what about the holiday décor? A little festive decoration can make your home seem much more welcoming, so we recommend it—with a couple of caveats. First, keep it modest and tasteful. You don’t want anything that causes your home to seem small, cluttered, or crowded. And two, it’s best to sideline overly religious decorations in favor of some more general seasonal cheer.
Keep your home tidy
Consider this a follow-up to that last point. It’s never easy to keep your home neat and clean, and it can be especially difficult amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays—but remember that first impressions are everything, and that pine leaves strewn across your living room are going to make potential buyers think your home isn’t well cared-for. Also, we all love Christmas presents, but some sellers are wise to keep them neatly stacked and out of the way, not spilling out into hallways.
Spend some time in your yard
Yes, it’s cold outside, and no, nobody likes doing yard work over the holiday season. Putting in a little extra time to spruce up your curb appeal can really go a long way, however. Make sure your leaves are raked, and the exterior of your home looks as fresh and clean as possible. Depending on the state of your home, you may want to consider pressure washing, a fresh coat of paint, or simply a few little touch-ups here and there.
Price to sell
This isn’t really a seasonally-specific tip, but it’s certainly important. No matter the time of the year, you want to price your home competitively. The last thing you want is for the listing to languish on the market, only to have to make several price adjustments down the road. You can find the data and reports you need for competitive pricing on Sold.com.
Market, market, market
Homes don’t sell themselves, and just listing your property isn’t enough. You’re also going to want to market it aggressively. Start by ensuring you take truly high-quality photos for the Web. During winter, it’s important to take your pics earlier in the day, when you have plenty of natural light to work with. It can also be helpful to create a video tour for the Web, allowing potential buyers to feel like they’ve seen your home before they set out in the brisk weather.
Offer a shelter from the elements
Speaking of brisk weather, anyone who braves the cold to tour your home deserves to be rewarded for their efforts. Turn your home into a cozy, comforting shelter from the harsh winter weather. This is where a lot of those old real estate tricks work well—playing classical music, leaving Christmas cookies on the counter, ensuring you have the heat on, etc.
Make sure you have the resources you need
Selling your home during the holidays may make you feel a little stressed—but you’ll stress less when you know you have all the right information to work with. Sold.com can provide you with the unbiased reports you need to feel truly confident in your home selling strategy.
The holiday season doesn’t have to put your home selling plans on hold. Use these tips to sell your home quickly and for a good value—even during the busiest time of the year!
