HOLIDAY HOME-SELLING IDEAS!
So you have decided to sell your home during the holidays! Welcome to the most magnificent (and stressful) time of the year--especially if you are trying to sell your house. What are your options to help make your sale quicker? You always have options and there are many which can help you sell your home faster. If it is vacant, this will be a little more difficult, but necessary to be sure.
1) Keep the holiday decorations to a minimum. If you love holiday decorations, try to pack most of them away to enjoy next year at your new home. Buyers don't need to be distracted in your house and some may be offended if they have different religious beliefs.
2) Keep a colorful doormat outside and inside the house to add color and reduce dirt tracked through your house. Make sure it is a friendly and inviting one.
3) Pre-pack all the unnecessary items. People have a hard time seeing the house through all of the "stuff" in the house. Your "stuff" is not staying anyway, so start packing!
4) Keep fresh-cut flowers in the kitchen to add some color and fresh smells.
5) Don't keep presents out in the open during showings. That can be too tempting for some buyers or their children.
6) Don't burn a fire in your fireplace, if it will not be attended the entire time. While fires smell great, they are dangerous, especially while unattended. The same goes for burning candles. Use fresh flowers or air fresheners...not too strong of a scent though. I recommend keeping the fireplace as clean as possible. Might depend on where you live.
7) Keep all blinds open and lights on. This is not the time to be cheap with the utility bills. A light, bright house sells. But make sure you close them when the showing is over.
8) Fresh paint is the best investment you can make in your home. Remember, keep it neutral and remove ALL wallpaper. Wallpaper is one of the biggest decorating faux pas you can make since most all buyers will want to remove it and they know how time-consuming and boring it is.
9) Play soft music during showings. Tune your radio/IPOD to an easy-listening station or easy-listening songs and keep the volume low.
10) Keep the driveway and walkway clear and shoveled, if you are in an area with snow. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to get to your front door, which, by the way should always be clean with the hardware polished.
I am sure there are many more helpful and useful ideas for this holdiay season home-selling. I also think selling your home during the holidays can be a good idea. Lots of sellers take their home off the market during this time to be home with family/friends and cook and entertain. There just may be fewer homes on the market to compete with during this time which can be very helpful to your sale.
HAPPY SELLING!
