5 Tips for Preparing Your Home for Sale This Holiday Season

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Now that fall is winding down and winter is right around the corner, I have five tips to help you get your home ready for sale during the holiday season:

1. Maintain good curb appeal. How your house looks from the street matters a great deal. I’ve had clients get excited about a property they saw online only to not even want to get out of their car once they saw it in person because the yard was a mess. Granted, it’s that time of year when leaves and pine needles are falling like raindrops, so buyers understand that your yard won’t be immaculate at all times, but an unkempt yard doesn’t leave a very good first impression. To get a sense of what impression your house gives, it never hurts to ask a neighbor their honest opinion about it.

2. Go easy on the holiday displays. We all love an ornately decorated house, but too much holiday tableaux can be distracting in the eyes of a buyer. Tone down your decorations to make sure your house doesn’t go overboard.

Your home’s temperature shouldn’t be the only thing that feels inviting.

3. Make sure your home is warm and inviting. As the weather cools down and everyone’s walk from the car to the front door gets more and more discomforting, you don’t want your home’s temperature to be the only thing that feels inviting. Try using some plush throws on your sofas and beds, or add some seasonal foliage in your vases. Those kinds of touches make your home seem less like a stranger’s house. To really accentuate the aesthetic, let in as much natural light as possible.

4. Prepare your fireplace. There’s nothing better than walking into a home that has a fireplace crackling. If you have a fireplace, make sure yours is good to go before lighting it up by cleaning out the interior and making sure the chimney is functional.

5. Elevate your scents and sounds. To capture the true ambiance of the holidays, your house must smell like the holidays. I’m talking about vanilla, pumpkin spice, and apple pie. These scents make people feel cozy. I also always tell my clients to have some smooth jazz playing in the background. Not only does it set the mood, but it can also potentially cover up the sound of a leaky floorboard or other noises you don’t want any mingling buyers to hone in on.

If you have any questions about this or any other real estate-related topic, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Happy holidays!