Selling a home during the stressful holiday season might seem downright impossible—so much so that many sellers don’t even bother to make the attempt. This actually makes it a pretty good time to list, since your competition will be at an all-time low! It does involve a little bit of planning and jugging to pull off a successful holiday sale, though.
Here are some tips for selling a home during the holidays.
Get Cleaned Up & Organized
It’s only too easy to get behind in wintertime cleaning. Less-than-ideal weather is an invitation for snow and mud to make its way inside. Closed windows can lead to stuffy air and trapped odors. And the holidays themselves tend to come with more than their share of stuff—cards, gifts, wrapping paper, family photos… Do yourself a favor before you even think of listing. Take some time to clean, declutter, and organize your home. And keep it that way!
Decorate Minimally
Does holiday decor have a place in holiday home selling? Absolutely! If it’s done right, that is. You’ll want to keep the decorations of a minimum (think: no obnoxious yard inflatables, blinking lights, or gigantic Christmas trees). You’ll also want to keep decor neutral (read: not holiday-specific). Classic winter styles are recommended, like pine cones, evergreens, snowflakes, and white lights.
Price it Right
Correct pricing is ALWAYS vitally important when selling a home. But during the slower winter season, an overpriced home simply isn’t going to sell. And of course, a home priced too low is a loss of your hard-earned equity. The key is striking the perfect balance between too high and too low, finding a price that will appeal to buyers while making your wallet happy.
Have no idea what this means? I’d be more than happy to give you a home valuation!
Hire a Photographer
The weather outside is frightful… so the buyers are inside shopping from the comfort of their couches! In other words, they’re searching homes online. The key here is to entice an online shopper so much that they actually venture out in the winter weather to see your home in person—where your clean house and holiday staging will seal the deal, of course. The easiest way to entice an online buyer? With jaw-dropping professional photography! (And a good price tag).
Be Flexible
All right; an online shopper loves your listing photos and wants to come see your house! Great! But, wait. You can’t have a buyer stopping by today—the house is a mess! And tomorrow doesn’t work, since you’re hosting a family dinner. The weekend? No good… oh, never mind. Your buyer has lost interest.
Don’t let your busy schedule cost you a sale. If a buyer wants to come and see your home, be ready for them. That means keeping it clean and staged. It means declining to host parties and get-togethers. It means being ready to step outside at a moment’s notice. Is it a pain? Yes. It is worth it? Definitely.
Make Your Home a Haven from the Cold
When you get that buyer scheduled in to take a tour, make them feel warm and welcomed into your bright, cheery, and cozy home. Turn on the lights, light a fire in the fireplace, turn up the thermostat, and see if you can’t get some delicious smells circulating—like hot cider or fresh-baked cookies. Better yet, leave out a plate of tasty treats.
Hire an Expert Agent
Want to have all of these elements of successful holiday home selling come together without having to think too much about it? Hire an expert local agent! A good agent will tell you what needs to happen and how to make it happen. Pricing? Done. Staging and photography? Check. Handling tours? Got it. Welcoming buyers. Done and done. (Disclaimer: You’ll probably still have to do all the cleaning, though).
Working with an experienced agent is probably the #1 stress-reducing move you can make.
Thinking of Selling in a Home in Baltimore?
If you’re thinking of listing a home in the Baltimore area this holiday season, I’d love to help! Contact me to learn more about how I can help you price your home, get it looking fantastic, and list it with ease.