Tips for selling your home during the holidays - President’s Message
Tips for selling your home during
the holidays
President’s Message
Chris Sloan
With cold, snowy weather and a
never-ending to-do list, selling a home during the holiday months may seem
unreasonable and impossible. In fact, many homeowners decide to take their
homes off the market so they can enjoy the holidays, one reason housing
inventory traditionally drops off in December.
For those who need to move, however, holiday home
selling has its advantages. For one, there are fewer homes competing for
buyers’ attention. December buyers are also known to be more serious,
often job transferees or investors wanting to get in another deal before the
end of the year.
While selling a home during this busy time may not be
ideal, it is doable as long as the home is priced right and the presentation is
impeccable. Use the following tips to help your home take center stage this
winter.
Make safety a priority
With cold, dark nights and icy
sidewalks, safety must be a top priority. The last thing you want is for buyers
to remember your house as the one where they fell or got their car stuck in the
driveway.
Make sure to keep your driveway and sidewalks free
from ice and snow. Keeping the house well-lit will also help ensure
buyers’ safety as well as enable them to locate your house. Pathway
lights or a timer for your porch light may be helpful. A large doormat for
buyers to easily wipe off wet shoes will also come in handy.
Use holiday decorations to your advantage
Simple, elegant holiday
decorations can create an inviting atmosphere when your home is on the market
in December. A simple pine wreath or a well-decorated tree can create an atmosphere
that encourages people to buy.
Nevertheless, holiday
decorations must be kept simple. Elegant, white lights on trees or shrubs work
well to illuminate your home’s exterior, but blow-up decorations should
be saved for another year.
Inside, keep things simple and
classic like the decorations at a high-end hotel or department store. Avoid
putting out too many decorations that will make the room or counters appear
cluttered. If that means putting some furniture in storage to make room for
your Christmas tree, do it. Don’t let your decorations make the home
appear smaller than it is.
Other decorations to avoid are
ones with a religious theme or ones that hide the home’s best features.
Warm cider and cookies can also add a cozy, comfortable feel and smell to your
home, but make sure to not overdo it with scents.
Remember to update your photos
If your home is still up for
sale in February, make sure you are advertising the home with up-to-date
photos. Don’t call attention to the fact that your home hasn’t sold
by using pictures taken at Christmastime.
Having a variety of high-quality photos in your online
advertising is also beneficial since many buyers start their search on the
Internet before heading out into the cold.
Consider warmth and lighting
If
you have a fireplace, make sure it’s on so it can create a warm, homey
atmosphere. Owners of both vacant and occupied homes should make sure the
thermostat is set high enough to keep any potential buyers comfortable. Lights
and lamps should also be turned on to create a feeling of warmth during the
dark, winter months.
Be flexible with showings
The
buyers who shop during the winter and holiday months are some of the most
serious, so it’s to your benefit to accommodate potential buyers and be
flexible with showings. Buyers will often use vacation time during the holidays
to do home shopping if they urgently need to purchase. If you shut your house
down during the holiday weeks, a potential buyer may simply move on to another
property.
Hire a Realtor
When
hiring a Realtor to sell your home during the winter, ask whether he or she
will be available during the holidays in case a buyer makes an offer. Start
your search for a listing agent by asking family and friends if they can
recommend a Realtor who will go the extra mile to get your house sold. This
type of Realtor will be invaluable in easing your stress and helping you enjoy
the season.
I’ve enjoyed writing this
real estate column for the past year and sharing information with you about
home buying and selling. My successor, Lerron Little, 2010 president of the
Utah Association of Realtors, will continue this column in the upcoming year
and will make sure you’re up-to-date with all the latest real estate news and information.