Selling During the Holidays? How Much is Too Merry?

The holidays are just around the corner. If you have your house listed for sale or are going to put it on the market, here are some things to think about to ensure your house is "buyer friendly" during the holidays.

First, not everyone celebrates the holidays you do so minimizing what is put out for celebrating is key. Make every buyer feel welcome - even the ones that don't do much for the holidays or believe in celebrating the ones you do. There is nothing "wrong" with what you believe or celebrate and it's important to think like a buyer and create that welcome feeling for anyone viewing your house. Not putting out everything you own for decorating for a holiday will keep your house feeling spacious, neutral and inviting for any buyer.

The religious holidays that are coming are a source of remembrance, joy, and ritual for many. Not all buyers are going to know what your religious items signify and we don't want anyone feeling uncomfortable in the house they are potentially buying. If someone feels uncomfortable they will just get out and go look at the next house on their list.

I have seen some advice on various real estate sites about putting out the decor to make the house feel more "family friendly" - and yet as I have shared - that is a risk. We have to remember that we are selling your space - not your stuff.
I am going to address Christmas because that is what we celebrate in my house and if you celebrate another religious holiday in the November-December timeframe, apply the same guidelines to your house. Christmas decor is a lot of fun - I have lots of Nativity Scenes and Santas. I have a collection of over 40 Nutcrackers that are a family favorite and on display wherever I can fit them. They would surely be a conversation topic for any buyer coming to see the house if it were for sale.
Are you selling your decorations or are you selling your house? Also if you have some heirloom or precious things on display and they get broken or stolen, wouldn't you be upset? So this is the year to not put all those things out. Keep it to a minimum.

Even our tree has a special spot and it blocks the view to the back yard. So if we were selling, I would not put my Nutcrackers on display, I would relocate the tree to a better spot (or maybe not have one), and I would limit the number of decorative things to a few. Poinsettias are fine. A wreath on the door or on a wall is OK. But the abundance of decor some of us put out for our normal Christmas tradition would have to be left in the boxes for where we move next.

It might seem hard, but you are selling a house, not a home. If it is really a non-concession for you and you insist on having all your stuff out - then have no showings for the week before and after Christmas until you can get your personal holiday decor put away.

Know this: People DO buy houses at Christmas. There are people relocating from around the country and this can be a time when buyers are looking for a house, and must make an offer. Realtors will often say that the buyers that are out now are "serious buyers" - they are looking now because they either need to move or perhaps want to take advantage of year end tax breaks. Either way, don't discount the buyers that are out there and not make your house engaging, and a place THEY can make into THEIR home - not feel like they are invading YOUR home.

If you HAVE to sell now - then make some adjustments so that you house can remain on the market and be viewed as a product that any buyer would want to purchase.
Enjoy your scaled-back holiday and know that next year when you are in your new home you can go all out!!

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP- Premier, SRS, REO, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality

•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003

•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?

•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients

Staging and Selling in Winter by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging

Staging a house can become challenging in the winter when the landscape around the country does not look that great - dead grass, spindly trees with no leaves, two-tone colors with snow and dirt.  In fact I believe winter time is the toughest time of the year to sell when dealing with curb appeal.  Depending on what part of the country you live in, you may have lots of green and warmth this time of year, or deal with the barren landscape.  When there is snow on the ground, it does look pretty, but as the snow melts, you are often left with bald patches of dirt, icy or muddy streets, and little color in the yards with deciduous trees that have no leaves. 

So how do you add that curb appeal necessary for Selling when Mother Nature seems to have another plan?

Here is an excerpt from an article entitled "Home Staging Tips for Every Season" where expert and my personal mentor, Barb Schwarz, was interviewed by AOL online (http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2010/07/20/home-staging-for-every-season/

Home Staging Tips for Winter:

• Keep your place warm. You want the house looked at! If you aren't living there or even if you are, spend the money to keep it warm. They will walk out if it's too cold," says Schwarz. "And that means no sale."  Trying to save money by keeping your house cold and not heating it properly is a turn-off to buyers.

• Keep lighting in mind during the winter months. Winter means it gets dark earlier, so put lighting on timers inside and outside the house. Every room in the house can be on timers, as it welcomes buyers into a room and you want them to keep walking and checking out the house.

• Just because it's winter doesn't mean you shouldn't have flower boxes and greenery at your front door, in pots. On the contrary, it's really warm and welcoming. Just make sure they are seasonally appropriate.

• Keep snow off the back patio and front porch. You want people to go out and see the back and front of the house and the patio and yard, too. Go back to your back fence and see what does the back of your house looks like, does it look boring? You can keep flower pots by the slider doors, as it softens the look of the house in the gray winter.

• Don't forget to put out the summer photos of your great outdoor deck, so people know what it will be like in warmer months.

Here are some added tips:

Invest in some annuals or perennials that like the cold weather and put them in pots or line the walkway with them. Some of the best annuals for color that like the cold are pansies, primroses, kale (cabbage), and emerald greens (arborvitaes). Think not just about adding green bushes, but add color with annuals that will survive in your climate. If you are not sure, consult with your local landscape supplier and ask what you should put in those pots in the front and back yards.

Remove hazardous ice from walkways, streets, etc. - this could pose a slipping hazard for a potential buyer and you want to avoid potential issues arising from a buyer that falls on your property.  Plus, it makes it look like you care about your house when you have taken the time to remove the ice and piles of snow so that the house is easily accessible.

Add outdoor cushions to your chairs that may be outside for color and appeal.  You can have a fireplace set up on your patio or deck where when the nights are not too cold, you could convey enjoying a nice cozy fire outside.

Lastly, when the outside is lacking in color, make sure you have plenty of color elements INSIDE your house to balance out the bleak.  Use accessories and layers of color to help create that buyer appeal and transition from the outside to inside.  If a house is bleak on the outside, and then on the inside has white walls, tan furniture and beige carpet, it is blah and boring.  Using artwork, fabrics, throws, pillows and accent decor can help create an inviting look for buyers.

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For information on getting your house show ready, contact Jennie at 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE.  With over 2,700 houses Staged successfully, Jennie has the expertise and ideas to help you achieve your goals of a successful sale.  http://www.sensationalhome.com/