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It’s the most wonderful time of the year — that is, of course, unless you are trying to enjoy the holidays while also showing your home to prospective buyers. There are certainly some advantages to showing your home during the holidays, like less competition, perhaps, but holiday home showings also come with their share of challenges. People selling their homes during the holiday season might have company visiting, busy schedules, winter weather, or all of the above to contend with. Plus, successful home showings require careful planning and prep work at any time of the year. Here are six of our favorite tips for hosting a successful holiday home showing:
1. Keep Your Holiday Décor Simple
It may be tempting to really deck the halls, but when you’re showing your home, less can be more. Choose simple, minimalistic seasonal décor so that your space doesn’t feel too crowded — and also so that buyers can imagine their own furniture in your home long after the holidays have ended. It can also be wise to stick to nonspecific seasonal décor versus religious decorations to make sure that buyers of all religions feel welcome in your home.
2. Keep Holiday Gifts Secure
Wrapped presents and stacks of gifts can pose a problem when showing your home. And while you do want a lot of people traipsing through your home since you are selling it, it’s probably a good idea to tuck away gifts in a secure and discrete location.
3. Communicate With Your Real Estate Agent
Communication with your real estate agent is always key — especially during the holidays. Be sure to let your real estate agent know about your holiday travel, as those may be good days for your home to be shown. Make sure you also know if your agent is taking any time off during the holidays, too. If there are days of the week or times of the day that work best for home showings during the busy holiday season, communicate your preferences. Your real estate agent might not always be able to accommodate your schedule, but the more they know, the better.
4. Don’t Over-Commit To Hosting
Since home showings can pop up at the last minute, it might be a good year to opt out of hosting holiday gatherings. You probably won’t want to have to decline a showing to a potential buyer because you are in the middle of hosting a get-together.
5. Don’t Neglect Your Home’s Exterior
Since most of the trees are likely bare, the exterior of your home is even more exposed than usual. Make sure you tidy up around the exterior of your home for peak curb appeal — even if the weather in your area doesn’t allow for luscious landscaping. Also make sure that leaves are raked, sticks are picked up, and walkways are shoveled so prospective buyers will have a clear path to your front door (and a good view of your lawn).
6. Turn Up The Cozy Factor
Use the cold weather to your advantage by making your home feel like a warm, cozy escape from the outdoors. If you have a gas fireplace, consider turning it on for home showings. You might also want to turn up your thermostat a degree or two so that potential buyers know your home is warm and the furnace works well. And who knows, they may feel so cozy that they want to make your home their own!
