Selling your home during the holidays

Selling

Many people believe selling your home during the holidays is a bad idea. But sometimes, your circumstances dictate when you have to sell – perhaps you’re relocating in the New Year for a new job. Or you found your dream home and need to sell the current home you live in.

While the thought of selling your home during the winter months may dampen your holiday spirit, the season does have its advantages: holiday buyers tend to be more serious and competition is less fierce with fewer homes being actively marketed.

So, if you’re in the position of having to sell, here are some tips you should consider:

Hire a Reliable Real Estate Broker

That means someone who will work hard for you and won’t disappear during Christmas or New Year’s. We love listing homes during the holidays – it allows us to do some great marketing work that’s unlike any other time of the year. Having a good broker will ease your stress and give you more time to enjoy the season.

Deck the Halls, but Don’t Go Overboard

Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be careful not to overdo it on the decor. Adornments that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Also, avoid offending buyers by opting for general fall and winter decorations rather than items with religious themes.

Seek Out Motivated Buyers When Selling Your Home During the Holidays

Anyone house hunting during the holidays must have a good reason for doing so. Your agent should be using strategies to target buyers on a deadline, including people relocating for jobs in your area, investors on tax deadlines, and college students and staff.

Price it to Sell

No matter what time of year, a home that’s priced low for the market will make buyers feel merry. Rather than gradually making small price reductions, we recommend our clients selling at this time price their home to draw attention of serious buyers. There is no need to price at under-market value, but rather than starting high and making small reductions, price strategically and watch your home sell quickly.

Make Curb Appeal a Top Priority

When selling your home during the holidays maintaining the exterior of your home becomes even more important. Bare trees equal a more exposed home, so touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Keep buyers’ safety in mind as well by making sure stairs and walkways are free of snow, ice and leaves.

Take Top-Notch Real Estate Photos

When the weather outside is frightful, homebuyers are likely to start their house hunt from the comfort of their homes by browsing listings on the Internet. Make a good first impression by offering lots of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. If possible, have a summer or spring photo of your home available so buyers can see how it looks year-round.

Create a Video Tour for the Web

You’ll get less foot traffic during the holidays thanks to inclement weather and vacation plans. But shooting a video tour and posting it on the Web may attract house hunters who don’t have time to physically see your home or would rather not drive in a snowstorm. This is something your broker will handle, usually through the same photographer that does your photos. Be sure to share this on your personal social media accounts, because you never know who will be looking.

Give House Hunters a Place to Escape from the Cold

Make your home feel cozy and inviting during showings by cranking up the heat, playing soft classical music and offering homemade holiday treats. When you encourage buyers to spend more time in your home, you also give them more time to admire its best features. Thinking of an open house? Consider our tips before deciding.

Offer Holiday Cheer in the form of Financing

If you’ve got the means, then why not offer a home loan to a serious buyer? You could get a good rate of return on your money.

Relax — the New Year is Just Around the Corner

The holidays are stressful enough with gifts to buy, dinners to prepare and relatives to entertain. So, don’t stress too much about selling your home during the holidays. With the right broker in place and the right marketing strategies, you’ll be in good hands to ensure a quick sale at the right price for you.

If you want to learn more about how we can help you sell your home stress-free during the holidays or winter months, simply fill out the form below. We’ll be in touch right away.