Holiday Real Estate: A Seller’s Guide

By Realty Times Published Dec 19, 2023 04:08 pm

Looking to sell your home over the holidays? Maybe you’ve had a job change or need to relocate quickly. It’s not out of the question. Here are the tips to follow for an easy sale.

Be realistic
There are naturally fewer buyers at this time of year, so a packed open house and hysteria that leads to multiple offers over the asking price is improbable. While no agent can guarantee when a home will sell or for how much, it’s their job to know the market. If you’re working with an experienced agent who’s done their research, you should have a good idea of what to expect. Realistic expectations will serve you well.

Price it right
The listing price is always important, but there is often more leeway during the prime selling seasons of spring and summer. With a reduced buyer pool, pricing the home to sell is more critical than ever. That might mean a lower price than you were envisioning. Regardless of how you feel about your home, how much money you’ve put into it, or what you think it’s worth, you don’t know the market better than your agent. Listen to them. Their sole goal is to get your home sold so you can move on.

Stage it to sell
You don’t have to make expensive updates or buy a houseful of furniture to appeal to buyers. Some of the best staging tips won’t cost you anything at all. At the top of the list: decluttering and depersonalizing. These two activities will help buyers envision themselves in the home instead of getting caught up in your stuff.

You also want to make sure you focus your efforts on the spaces that matter most. “Not all rooms are considered equal when it comes to home staging,” said Moving. com. “The rooms that hold the most importance for buyers are the living room, master bedroom, and kitchen. Don’t worry as much about the rooms that have less influence, such as guest bedrooms, children’s bedrooms, and bathrooms.”

Get smart with targeting
It might be more challenging to sell to families at this time of year because most are already settled, and kids are well into the school year. But you don’t need an abundance of buyers; You only need one. You’re relocating, so it’s not unheard of, right?

If you’re in a family neighborhood and you’re trying to appeal to families, you already have an “in.” It wouldn’t hurt to emphasize the family attributes of the neighborhood. Maybe you can create a leave-behind flyer with information on the school district, local parks, or even babysitters in the neighborhood.

Concentrate on curb appeal
This is not the time to let those leaves collect on the lawn. Fall and winter can be challenging when it comes to keeping the front of your home tidy, but it’s a must-do when selling. Be prepared for surprise showings by making it a daily habit to observe your home from the street so you can get the same perspective as buyers and clean up anything that’s dragging down the home’s appearance.

Don’t go holiday crazy
A tastefully decorated home will get noticed for all the right reasons. If your home is only memorable for looking like Christmas threw up all over the lawn, that’s probably not a good sign. “Back off on the decorations,” said The Balance. “Too many decorations can be overwhelming and distracting. Don’t make the mistake of thinking buyers will ‘see past it,’ because they can’t. As agents sometimes say, ‘the eye buys.’”

Be flexible
One of the drawbacks of selling your home over the holidays is having to be available for showings at the whim of buyers. That probably means limiting holiday get-togethers at your house this year and it definitely means making sure the home is clean and picked up all the time—which is definitely more challenging when kids are out of school. Because you never know when you’re going to get a call requesting a showing and because you have to maximize any opportunity to sell at this slower time of year, being flexible is key. Another suggestion, ask your agent about scheduling a “Virtual Open House”. The technology through products like 1-Click Virtual Open House™ allows multiple online home shoppers to view your home at a time of your convenience.