Things can happen out of the blue in life, and sometimes those events force us to put our homes on the market during the holidays. You might be moving to a warmer place like Panama City Beach, FL, or Los Angeles, CA because you’ve chosen to downsize or because your job is taking you to a different city. You might not think it, but the holidays can be a great time to sell your house. Lots of people think that the spring is the best time to buy a house, but the holidays are actually a great time to sell.
Why? To begin, there are usually fewer homes for sale this time of year, which makes yours stand out among the others that are on the market. Even though there aren’t as many sellers overall, the ones who are looking are much more determined to find a home within a certain amount of time. Make your home nice and welcoming, and let people who want to buy it in. Selling your home during the holidays could be the best gift you get this year.
1) Clean, cozy, and easy
Yes, even if you are trying to sell your house, you should still prepare for the holidays. How much should be the real question of course.
We tend to gather a lot of things as homeowners, especially holiday decorations. If you’re trying to sell your house over the holidays, use your best gifts as accents that don’t draw attention away from the things that make your home stand out. Bring out the things that drew you to your home in the first place; that’s what buyers are likely to be interested in. Don’t make rooms look too busy by putting up too many Christmas trees or decorations. You don’t want to hide your holiday decorations but you want them to make your home look better.
Putting up holiday decorations can help people who want to buy your home picture it as their own. Put garland and stockings around your fireplace to make it look nice, and use holiday scents like cedar and balsam. Keep your home clean and free of clutter to make potential sellers feel at home. If you want your home to stand out during the holidays and beat out the other homes on the market, you might want to hire a professional home stager.
2) Set the right price for your home to sell.
The selling agent and you will probably decide on a price range together. This will be based on similar homes in the area, the current state of the housing market, and what the demand for housing looks like or what it’s expected to do.
Price competition is very important. If your house has a lot in common with the others on the block, setting your price lower will definitely get you more buyers than your competitors. Your home may be more valuable if it is the biggest on the block, sits on more land, has a double garage, or a pool. You can set the price of your home based on these factors. Find out how much your home is worth online and then compare it to other homes in the same neighborhood.
3) Make sure your home looks good from the street.
Holidays may make your neighborhood look more appealing to people who want to buy a home. There’s a fine line between too many and too few holiday lights on the outside of your house. You want it to shine like the other houses on your block.
Your lawn might not be as green in the winter as it is in the summer, and the trees might not have any leaves on them. In order to sell your home in the winter, you need to put a lot of thought into how it looks from the street. Get rid of any sticks, dead leaves, and other debris on your yard, and keep it neatly trimmed. Even in the winter, a few weeds can make it look like the lawn hasn’t been taken care of. If you have pictures of your home with colorful plants in different seasons, you might want to share them with the realtor so they can include it with your listing. This way, buyers can see for themselves how appealing your home is in different seasons instead of having to guess.
4) Keeping your home safe for people who want to buy it
For many parts of the United States, the Christmas season means cold weather. Driveways and paths are covered in snow and ice, and icicles hang from the gutters like glass curtains. When selling a home in a colder area, making sure that potential buyers can safely visit is a real worry. Being proactive is key. Get that snow shovel out and start making a way.
If it’s going to snow a lot, hiring someone to clear your driveway, front steps, and walking paths every day might be the best way to keep your home safe and easy for visitors to get to.
If you’d like to avoid this altogether, I’d recommend moving to Georgia. *wink*
5) If you’re trying to sell your house over the holidays, get professional pictures taken of it.
Investing in professional real estate pictures is a proven way to market your home to people who might want to buy it. This will help you sell your home faster and for more money. This is the only time you shouldn’t show off your holiday decorations. If you want to get professional pictures of your house before you decorate for the holidays, you need to do it first. The decorations will leave a time stamp on your home.
To avoid problems, make sure that your listing pictures don’t still have holiday lights on in February or March. Hire a professional photographer right away to get your listing pictures done so you can show off how your home is decorated for the holidays while still keeping the listing’s classic look.
6) Take photos from above to see things from Santa’s point of view
It doesn’t matter if you live in sunny Tampa, FL, or snowy Minneapolis, MN. This holiday season, aerial pictures could help your home stand out. There may be times when you need aerial pictures to fully show off your home’s land, view, or other features that can only be seen from above.
Drone photography can help your home listing stand out from the other homes for sale online by giving buyers a new view of your home. It also tells potential buyers about your neighborhood and other services that might be close enough to walk to from your house.
7) To get people to buy your house, show off its winter charm.
As the weather gets cooler, some parts of your home become more appealing. Bringing these things to the attention of buyers looking for a warm and cozy winter retreat can help your home stand out.
If your house has a fireplace, you could make it the main point of showings by lighting it up, or you could include a picture of its cozy atmosphere in your listing. Stress how comfortable it is and how energy-efficient it is, making it a warm place to be in the winter. Bring attention to any improvements that make the home warmer, like double-paned windows, modern insulation, or a heating system that works well. This will not only make the home more comfortable, but it could also save you money on your energy bills.
If your property has evergreen trees or plants that do well in snow, show them off with some outdoor lights. This will make your winter landscape look even more beautiful and appeal to people who like the beauty of the season. These winter-themed features can make your home stand out and draw buyers who want a warm and cozy place to stay during the winter.
8) Put on the holiday lights
To go with how cozy your home is, you should also make it bright. When your house is up for sale or being shown online, make sure all the lights are on. During this time of year, it may be very dark outside, but you can make your home feel light and bright.
You should change out old light bulbs and fix light switches that don’t work right now. You could make all of your indoor lighting have the same color temperature by choosing a soft white color that makes rooms feel more open without making them feel like an institution. This will help keep the lights even throughout your home, giving potential buyers a sense of balance as they go from room to room.
9) Being flexible is important
It’s important to be flexible during the holidays so you can meet the needs of possible buyers who have busy schedules. If you want to sell your house quickly, you might want to try the following things:
More showing times and options on the weekends
As the days get shorter and holiday events often go late into the night, you might want to extend the times you show your movies. Potential buyers will be more likely to buy your home if you let them see it later at night or early in the morning, when it works best for their plans. To accommodate people who may be busy during the week, make sure your home is open for viewings on the weekends as well. Or, have your realtor hold an open house on the weekend. This will make it easy for people who are interested in buying your home to look it over.
Choice to tour virtually
Given how busy the season is and the chance that travel will be limited, giving virtual tours can be a game-changer. With good video tours, buyers can look at your house from afar, which speeds up the screening process and makes it easier for them.
Last thoughts on selling your house over the holidays
When you’re trying to sell your house over the holidays, remember that paying close attention to the little things and planning ahead can make a big difference. Making your home feel warm and friendly, using professional photography to show off your property, and thinking of unique angles with aerial shots are all things that can help your home stand out in the market. Remember how important it is to keep your home safe in the winter, make sure the inside is well-lit, and show it off in the best light. You can not only attract potential buyers with careful planning, but you can also make an impression that will last, making your house memorable and desirable during this holiday season.
