Selling Your House During the Holidays

Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve is often considered a dead zone in real estate. Between holiday parties, visiting relatives and baking cookies, having your house “show ready” can be daunting, leading many sellers to pull their homes from the market until January.

But, people buy houses year-round and there are also some major advantages to selling your house during the holiday season.

1) Less Competition. Take advantage of the reduced inventory and let your house stand out among the crowd.

2) More Serious Buyers. People buying during the holidays tend to be more serious buyers. They are typically people looking to take advantage of tax incentives by year-end, professionals relocating or people who just sold their own homes. 

If you keep your home on the market during the holidays, tone down the decorating this year. Here are some pointers from Cy Phillips Team member, Heather Starr, who is a Realtor and certified home staging expert.

1) Sell your house at the front door. Nothing says ‘home’ and holiday cheer like a fresh evergreen wreath and a greenery framed door. Invest in a new doormat.

2) Enhance winter-time curb appeal. Rake fallen leaves, keep the snow shoveled, clear out the flower beds and consider potted evergreen shrubs to give the front of your home life and color. Also, skip the inflatable snowman in the front yard and the Griswold-worthy light display.  

3) Tone down interior decorating. Instead of a nine-foot tree, opt for the five-footer this year. Stash wrapped presents in a closet instead of under the tree. Keep holiday décor neutral—poinsettias, scented pine cones, greenery instead of Menorahs, nativity sets and nutcracker collections.

4) Turn up the ambiance.  If you have a gas fireplace, make sure it’s on for showings. Entice buyers’ noses with fresh pine, cinnamon candles and fresh-baked cookies. And, it’s not the time to be a scrooge. Keep the thermostat at a comfortable heat level. Buyers don’t stay long in cold houses.