While the real estate market may hit a predictable slow down during the holiday season, there are plenty of good reasons to focus on selling your home during the holidays. Let’s take a closer look at how to be successful with your holiday real estate goals.
Why should I sell my home during the holidays?
Because many sellers focus on putting their homes on the market during the spring and summer months, you’ll find there is less competition during the holidays, which can mean more attention from potential buyers. Real estate transactions during the winter months are typically faster when it comes to reaching the closing table because people want to wrap things up before the end of the year.
Who buys a home during the holidays?
While we agree that it’s not usual for people to set out searching for a home during the holiday season, there are some people who are searching because of new jobs and new adventures that are planned as they move into the new year. Some buyers are looking to cash in on the tax benefits of purchasing a home before the end of the year.
What you can count on during this time of year is that buyers who are taking the time to search for and look at homes in your area are serious about buying a home. Time is a premium luxury to many people during the holiday season, and you won’t see many people willing to attend a showing or open house unless they are incredibly serious about buying a home at this time.
During the holiday season, people tend to have time off from work due to company policy or personal vacations. Many people use this time to purchase a home and begin their move because they have a bit free time to do so.
How can a real estate agent help sell my home?
The holidays can be a busy time for most households, and a real estate agent can help lessen the load when it comes to selling your property. Your real estate agent will understand the importance of communicating at the highest level throughout the holiday season.
You don’t want to choose a real estate agent who is too busy with their own holiday activities to pay attention to your sale. The importance of paying attention to the needs of our clients is a high priority for us, and we want to make this time of year as stress-free as possible for you.
We are experienced with staging practices and open house strategies that really work when it comes to making your home appealing to buyers during the holidays. We’ll give you some tips as you keep reading, but we can offer you a more detailed plan for staging once we see your home.
Creating a listing that is attractive to buyers is critical, and you want to set an asking price that makes sense for the market and your real estate goals. We encourage you to use the online home valuation calculator to get a foundational idea of what your home is worth, and then contact us for a more comprehensive report.
Should I have photographs taken of my home?
Buyers in today’s real estate market have access to your home before they even drive down the street in front of your home. Listing photographs are a huge draw and can have a huge impact on the success of your home’s listing.
Once your home is staged to maximum appeal level, you’ll want to have professional photographs taken that can be used with your listing. Hiring an experience photographer is a key to success here because they understand the angles that are most attractive and the lighting that is needed to make the photographs catch the attention they deserve.
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We’ll help you find a photographer that is professional and understands the importance of speed during the holiday season. You don’t want to waste time waiting for photographs during this limited sale period.
How important is curb appeal?
During the winter months, it’s not unusual for a home to lose some of its appeal due to bare trees and dull landscaping. Making sure your home has that curb appeal during a holiday sale is going to set your home apart from others in the neighborhood that are also on the market.
You may want to enlist the help of a professional landscaper who can help you make the most of the outside area when it comes to appealing plants and flowers that do well during the holiday months. Don’t forget that holiday decorations can be a plus, but you don’t want to go overboard with those and create a distraction that will be less than helpful.
Even if you live in an area like Frisco that gets minimal snow and ice even during the winter months, you want to be on alert in case the weather does show up at an open house with a few surprises. Have a plan in place to address snow and ice issues should that become a problem.
Should I decorate my home for sale during the holidays?
In an effort to appeal to a broad range of potential buyers, you want to take special care when decorating your home for the holidays when it’s on the real estate market. Since a variety of holidays are celebrated this time of year, we suggest that you use a general holiday theme that does not make buyers feel disconnected due to a specific religious observance of the holiday.
While you want to create a beautiful holiday atmosphere, you don’t want to distract buyers from seeing your home while they are taking in the decorations. You also want them to see themselves living in and decorating the home, and that is not as easy to do when you’ve put your thumbprint on the property in a major way.
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What do I need to know about a holiday open house?
An open house during the holiday season can attract potential home buyers who are serious about their home search and want to fit in a showing between other holiday activities. Make it easy for them to get the information they are seeking at the open house by having flyers on hand that showcase your home’s benefits and photographs.
As your real estate agent, we will be on hand to make sure everyone feels welcome and that all questions are answered. You won’t need to be present for the open house, and we recommend that you make plans that day to enjoy some holiday festivities elsewhere.
If you have a beloved family pet, you’ll want to be sure they have a place to enjoy the day elsewhere for their comfort and the comfort of those who are touring your home. Having people in and out of your home can be stressful on a pet, and you may have potential buyers attend the open house who have allergies or fears when it comes to pets.
Place fresh flowers in beautiful vases and have soft holiday music playing in the background. We suggest something instrumental so that the lyrics are not a distraction to buyers as they walk through your home.
There’s something incredibly appealing about a holiday home that smells like cookies and freshly baked treats. Have something delicious on hand for open house browsers to snack on and consider a hot chocolate station or mulled cider if the weather is cold on the day of your open house.
What about outside holiday light shows?
If you are the one in your neighborhood who usually takes the time to put up thousands of tiny, twinkling lights that dance to a multitude of holiday tunes, you may want to skip that task this year if you’re selling your home during the holidays. A few, well-placed lights can be festive, but a complete light show can be overwhelming and a turn-off to potential buyers.
Winter nights can be a bit dreary at times, so you do want to make sure the outside of your home is well-lit. This attention to lighting details presents your home as a safe place and looks welcoming to potential buyers.
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With the number of people who are out and about looking at holiday lights from the warmth of their vehicle during this time of year, you may find that you reach buyers who didn’t even know your home was on the market until they ride by looking for holiday decorations. Your well-lit and welcoming home may just put the idea of home ownership into the mind of someone new.
Conclusion
If you’re serious about selling your home, you shouldn’t discount the holiday season or the potential to sell your home during this time of year. With the end of the year approaching, many buyers and investors are looking for those tax benefits that come with a large purchase right now.
With less competition from others who have slipped out of the real estate market due to the holidays, you’ll have the attention of more potential buyers this time of year. Selling a home during the holidays is possible, and you can have a greater chance at success if you stage your home properly, have professional photos taken, set the asking price right, and have a real estate agent on your side to handle the details.
