Here we are at the end of October...the trick or treaters haven't even knocked on the door yet, but the Christmas decorations are all over the drug stores, malls, and department stores. Trees, stockings, wreaths, bows, wrapping paper. Sparkling, shiny, beautiful temptations just calling to you from the shelves. Pick me...pick me...
STOP! Step away from the garland and remember that your house is on the market.
You want buyers to walk in and imagine themselves at home. Remember all of those staging tips your agent gave you when you listed your house? Perhaps you had a professional stage the home for you. This is the time of year when lookers turn into buyers. Lookers do not take the time to tour homes during the holidays, but serious buyers do.
If you absolutely must have holiday displays, here are a few dos and don'ts for decorating while selling your home:
~ Don't fill the front yard with animated snowmen, reindeer, or Santa and the elves. Potential buyers should be able to actually see the house, not get lost in a winter wonderland making their way to the front door.
~ Don't trim every available window sill, eave, gutter, bush, shrub and tree with lights. Your home is not a landing strip for aircraft and should not be visibly blinking from miles away.
~ Don't put a different theme tree in every room of your house. The buyer's focus should be on the space and not on your Star Trek ornament collection. One small tree with presents neatly stacked underneath is sufficient...anything large will take up too much space and make the room appear smaller than it is.
~ DO place a simple wreath on the front door to greet guests. No battery operated models allowed...fresh greenery with a modest bow will suffice.
~ DO buy some fresh seasonal flowers or plants to place on the hearth of the fireplace, if you have one, or to use as a centerpiece on the dining room table. Please remember to water them, since dead plants don't exactly reflect the spirit of the season or make the home show well.
~ DO allow some apple cider or cinnamon sticks to simmer on the stove before a showing to fill the home with a nice fragrance.
Selling your home during the holidays can be challenging, but with a little preparation and common sense you can be ready to usher in the New Year in your new home.
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Susan, poor Santa! They were just trying to make sure he could find their house, right?
Patricia, there are definitely serious buyers during the holidays. Who wants their house to come across as the lump of coal?
Jason, thanks for stopping in and commenting. It's a little tongue in cheek for the dos and don'ts, but that's just me :)
Bill, thanks!
Charles, who needs decorations when you have that beautiful backyard?
Todd & Danielle, thanks! Just a little humor to try to get the serious point across.
Can't they make tinsel that's biodegradable? Oops, I think I just gave away my latest invention idea!!!
Remember that a menorah doubles as a candelabra after the holidays are over..
:)
Okay I must confess that my house is already being decorated for christmas... no tinsel ... I have my photos with santa here in 3 weeks so we are already working on it ... and I LOVE CHRISTMAS
Now I want some cider.... that's your fault... nice post !
Carole, thanks! It's really hard to show a house full of decorations. Buyers don't remember the house itself, only what the sellers were displaying.
Eric, we heard it here first! Run to the patent office :)
Desiree, I love Christmas too and have a garage full of storage containers with decorations, ornaments, etc. You can have all of the decorations you want as long as I am not your listing agent :0)
Lisa, I don't know if I should thank you for the great real estate advice or excoriate you for even bringing this up this early in the year. BLECH! Christmas in October..and earlier every year...that drives me bonkers.
By the way, I used the word excoriate. I think I might have even used it correctly. Merry Christmas!
What is this, the J&J show? Who has the bigger vocabulary? Ya'll are too funny...
Joey, I never shop early for Christmas, but I was in our favorite store (you know the one!) and saw all of the Christmas decorations out before I even had a chance to buy Halloween candy. You know there will be some seller that will start decorating next weekend :)
Jason...livin' the thug life...I'll keep that on the DL, OK?
Jason, be sure that you duck when he hums that thesaurus at you!
Paul, I'm fairly sure that gigantic baby Jesus understands my marketing plan.
Margaret, I find that a little humor never hurts when you are telling people what NOT to do.