Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holidays

Want to move now? Worried about selling your home during the holiday season?

Here are some tips for those of you ready to sell right now!

Selling your home at any time of the year takes some planning. During the holidays, you’ll find this is even more necessary as you’ll have additional obstacles to be aware of. These tips are to help you stick to the plan set by you and your Real Estate Professional, who you will definitely need with you on this journey!

Décor

Do you generally have a yard full of seasonal decorations? This year you may need to go easy on these decorations as you sell your home. Decorating your home can be one of the best parts of this season but when you’re selling your home you don’t want it to take away from all of the great features your home has to offer. Prospective buyers want to be able to see the home as theirs as quickly as possible since they are on a time crunch themselves to sell. Therefore, keep the decorations minimum. Use it to bring attention to the fireplace in the living room or the cozy front porch but that’s it. Plus, this will mean less work later when you’re getting ready to move out!

Curb Appeal

It’s wintertime but that doesn’t mean you should neglect your home’s curb appeal. First impressions are always important so be sure to remove any branches, leaves or debris from the yard. Take the time to trim the hedges and other shrubbery. Have tree branches close to the house? Get them removed, not only for the showings but also to protect the house during the home sale process. Get any snow? Remove it well! Make sure the pathways and driveway are clear with no ice so everyone is safe while coming to tour your home. If they feel unsure about walking up to your house, you may have already lost them.

Don’t Skip Pre-listing steps

You may be on a time crunch but these steps are important to ensure your home sale is successful. So be sure to:

  • Still take the time to clean your home well.

  • Rearrange furniture and add some minor staging elements to enhance each room.

  • Be sure to get professional photography!

  • And if there are minor repairs to complete, do it.

Remember speed is key

Both you and the buyers want to have the sale completed before the end of the year. That means speed will be key. Besides being prepared in the ways mentioned above, consider the following:

Price your home to sell. Buyers aren’t going to waste a lot of time negotiating with you so get the price in that sweet spot that still gives you top dollar but without the need for a bidding war. This is the time of year you can get that done. This is something your Real Estate professional will help you with as they have the experience necessary to make this happen.

Also, consider having a video tour done of the home. The winter & holiday season brings complications for showings so sharing a video tour can help buyers overcome any hesitations about your home since they can already get a good glimpse of what your home has to offer.

Finally, have a dedicated real estate team by your side. There’s so much to do in a short period of time and having the right team behind you can make all the difference!

The Steve Ritter Team has spent years helping families like yours buy and sell their homes at all times of the year, and yes, of course, the holidays included. So reach out to us and find out how we can help you get to the settlement table by the new year! Fill out the form below to get started.