The holiday season, which runs from November to January, is widely regarded as the worst time to put a house on the market. While the prospect of selling your home during the holiday season may dampen your holiday spirit, the season does have its benefits: holiday buyers are more serious, and competition is less fierce because fewer homes are actively marketed. First, decide if you really need to sell. Really. Once you've committed to the challenge, don your gay apparel and follow these tips from FrontDoor.
Deck the halls, but not too much.
Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be wary of over-decorating. Too many or too large decorations can crowd your home and distract buyers. Also, to avoid offending buyers, choose general fall and winter decorations rather than religiously themed items.
Hire a trustworthy real estate agent.
That is, someone who will work hard for you and will not disappear during the holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Ask your friends and family for recommendations for a listing agent who will go above and beyond to sell your home. This will reduce your stress and allow you to enjoy the season more fully.
Look for motivated buyers.
Anyone looking for a home during the holidays must have a good reason. Work with your agent to identify deadline buyers, such as people relocating for jobs in your area, investors with tax deadlines, college students and staff, and military personnel if you live near a military base.
It should be priced to sell.
A home priced low for the market will make buyers happy no matter what time of year it is. Many real estate agents advise sellers to slash their prices before putting a home on the market, rather than gradually making small price reductions.
Make curb appeal your number one priority.
When autumn arrives and the trees begin to lose their leaves, it is even more important to maintain the exterior of your home. Touching up the paint, cleaning the gutters, and sprucing up the yard will result in a more exposed home. Keep buyers' safety in mind by keeping stairs and walkways clear of snow, ice, and leaves.
Take excellent real estate photography.
When the weather outside is bad, homebuyers are more likely to begin their search from the comfort of their own homes, by browsing listings on the Internet. Make a good first impression by providing a large number of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. Have a summer or spring photo of your home available so buyers can see how it looks all year.
Make a video tour for the Internet.
Due to inclement weather and vacation plans, you will see less foot traffic during the holidays. However, filming a video tour and posting it on the Internet may attract house hunters who don't have time to visit your home in person or would prefer not to drive in a snowstorm.
Provide a warm place for house hunters to stay during the winter.
During showings, turn up the heat, play soft classical music, and provide homemade holiday treats to make your home feel cosy and inviting. You give buyers more time to admire your home's best features when you encourage them to spend more time in it.
Offer for festive in the form of financing
What a bummer! Lenders are scrooges these days, but if you have the means, why not lend to a serious buyer? You might get a good return on your investment.
Relax, because the new year is right around the corner.
With gifts to buy, dinners to prepare, and relatives to entertain, the holidays are already stressful. Take a moment to remind yourself that if you don't sell now, you always have next year, which is thankfully only a few days away.