Ah, the holiday season is upon us. The holiday décor is everywhere. Many sellers wonder whether this is a good time to list their home. A common idea is the holiday season, from November to January, is typically seen as the worst time to put a home on the market. While the thought of selling your home during the winter months may dampen your holiday spirit, the season does have its advantages. One thing to keep in mind is the things that lead people to make new home purchases; a new job, a growing family, upsizing or downsizing happen all year round which means there are always buyers looking in the marketplace. There are fewer buyers moving around but, those who are tend to be much more serious. Many sellers choose to take their home off the market during this period of time leading to even less inventory on the market leaving less competition for your home. If you decide to market your home over this time frame make sure you de-clutter and follow some of the following suggestions.
Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be careful not to overdo it on the decor. Decorations that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Consider opting for simpler decorations and eliminating religious themes.
When autumn rolls around and the trees start to lose their leaves, maintaining the exterior of your home becomes even more important. Bare trees equal a more exposed home, so touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Keep buyers’ safety in mind as well by making sure stairs and walkways are free of snow, ice, and leaves.
When the weather outside is frightful, homebuyers are likely to start their house hunt from the comfort of their homes by browsing listings on the Internet. Make a good first impression by offering lots of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. If possible, have a summer or spring photo of your home available so buyers can see how it looks year-round.
Your home should feel cozy and be inviting during showings. Keep the heat up and create the mood by lighting your fireplace. Play soft classical music and offer homemade holiday treats. When you encourage buyers to spend more time in your home, you also give them more time to admire its best features.
No matter what time of year, pricing of the home is one of the most important aspects of a successful sale. Getting the price right when your home goes on the market creates an excitement that engages buyer in preparing offers. And remember the holidays are stressful enough with gifts to buy, dinners to prepare and relatives to entertain. Take a moment to remind yourself that if you don’t sell now, there’s always next year, which, luckily, is only a few days away.
Woolcott Real Estate is happy to do a detailed analysis on what approach will net you the most for your home.
