With the holiday season upon us, many home sellers are wondering if they should take their homes off the market. The timing can feel off with few people looking to buy homes and the pressures of entertaining family and friends. However, selling your home doesn’t have to wait until next year just because you also want to entertain.
There are advantages to selling your home during this time, too. Firstly, there is less competition since other home sellers have closed their homes to travel and entertain. Secondly, some buyers are on a deadline and looking to relocate before the year’s up to start new jobs in your area. This means buyers are more likely to be serious during the holidays.
Follow the tips below to welcome buyers into your home while also entertaining guests.
Timing is Everything
Selling a house shouldn’t be the reason your holiday is ruined. You can set times and communicate to buyers when your home will be open. That way, you can enjoy time with family and friends and have enough time to clean up before potential buyers show up.
Keep Decorations to a Minimum
Decking the halls is an important ritual during the holiday season. After all, tis the season to be jolly, and you will want to fill your home with joy for your loved ones. However, this does not mean you should go overboard with the decorations.
You want to keep your home uncluttered as much as possible so that potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. If you go overboard with the merry, it can be overwhelming and distracting to potential buyers. This can be a huge turnoff.
Keep Religious Adornments to a Minimum
Religion is a deeply personal thing, but many home sellers forget this and adorn their home with religious ornaments and themes. This can be a mistake, as it can offend buyers who may not identify with their particular religion. Try to keep all decorations neutral and modern to avoid this problem.
Leave No Evidence of Entertaining
If you are used to hosting parties and dinners during the holiday season, there is no reason to stop now. You just have to make sure that that all evidence is cleared before the next open house. Make sure there are no plates, glasses or party favours insight.
Make Sure The House Is Cozy
Since it tends to get cold during the holidays, you might want to give buyers refuge from the cold while selling your home. Adjust the thermostat to a level that makes people comfortable as soon as they walk in through the door.
Creating a cozy environment isn’t all about making the house warm. You can also use smell and taste to create a warm and welcoming space. So bake some cookies to flood the house with a delicious smell, or as an added extra offer some hot chocolate and/or eggnog.
Upload High-Quality Photos Online
Weather conditions will not always be favourable for people to go hunting for Burlington homes and Oakville homes during the holidays. They might opt to stay home and browse online listings instead of making the trip.
Give them a virtual tour of your property by offering plenty of high-quality photos that showcase your property in the best possible light. Offer multiple angles of your home to give them a comprehensive view. You should also upload photos of how the home looks in the summer and spring as well.
Provide a Video Tour
If you want to enhance the virtual tour of your home, consider shooting a video tour. If a picture can speak a thousand words, then a video can speak more. On top of being highly-engaging, videos can help buyers easily picture themselves living in the space without having to brave inclement weather.