Selling your home around the holidays can be tricky. Bad weather and busy schedules can make potential buyers hold off until after the first of the year. But there are a few things you can do to attract buyers and make your home irresistible! Here are five tips for listing your house during the holidays.
Bulk up on curb appeal. While falling leaves, dead plants, and possibly even snow might detract from your house’s exterior charm, there are things you can do to attract potential buyers. Make sure your leaves are raked, walkways/driveways are shoveled, gutters are cleaned and dead flowers and plants are removed. Make sure lawn furniture and other remnants of summer are stored out of sight and your yard looks tidy. Also, make sure to clean your windows!
Create great media. You'll get less foot traffic during the holidays thanks to inclement weather and holiday travel plans. Shooting a video tour and taking professional photos may attract house hunters who don't have time to physically see your home or would rather not drive in bad weather.
Pick a target and price accordingly. Anyone house hunting during the holidays usually has a good reason. Work with your real estate agent to target buyers on a deadline. This may include people relocating for jobs in your area, college students and staff, and military personnel. A home that’s priced low for the market will make buyers quicker to act. During the holidays, rather than making small price reductions, some real estate agents advise sellers to lower their prices before putting a home on the market. Talk with your agent to see if this strategy might work for you.
Skip the decorations. Too many decorations can be overwhelming and distracting. Oftentimes buyers can’t see past decorations that don’t align with their taste, so minimizing decorations helps them envision themselves putting their furniture in each room and making the space their own. Fewer or no decorations will make your home feel more spacious and will keep pathways clear—an added bonus. By avoiding excessive family pictures and personalized decorations, you also protect your privacy during home showings.
Capitalize on the warm and cozy feelings. The holidays are often a time when people gather around fireplaces, drink hot chocolate, and bake cookies with loved ones. If you decide to list your house during the holidays, you can capitalize on the warm, cozy holiday feelings by staging your house to fit that vibe. While some people may argue that showing a house in the winter is hard to do because there’s snow on the ground and there are drafts, turning the heat up, lighting a candle with a soft but sweet scent and keeping the sidewalk and driveway clear of snow and ice can boost a home’s appeal. Combine that with the fact that buyers tend to be more emotional during the holidays and may be more likely to make decisions based on the feeling a house conjures up, your warm and cozy staging can help seal the deal.
At Zammito, we offer a full range of real estate services with listing agents that will get you the best price for your home. Thinking of selling your home? Contact us at (781) 762-6732 to get a free analysis!