By Carla Hill
The holiday season can be an incredibly busy time of year. Families are traveling across town, state, and country to visit loved ones. Children are home from school, bringing with them vacation schedules. This can be a difficult time for many sellers. They must find a balance between family time, showings, and open houses. If you are finding this holiday season particularly problematic, then keep reading.
Just as your time for showings is limited, so is the time potential buyers have for touring your home. This means that if you are serious about moving your home in this season's market you must be willing to be flexible with your time. Making your home readily available may mean more showings or a faster sale.
You must put the needs of your family and children first, of course, but there should be room for compromise. Consider allowing other family members to host large meals and functions to lighten the load on your home's schedule this year.
You can also plan fun activities for the whole family to participate in while your home is being shown. Take the kids to see the latest holiday movie. Go out for yogurt or ice cream. If the showing is during the evening hours you can take a tour of neighborhood lights! Also, do not let listing your home for sale deter you from celebrating the holidays this season. Feel free to maintain family traditions, but consider the effect your decorations will have on buyers. While you should feel free to have a tree and lights, it would be wise to keep everything tasteful and in moderation.
You may come across the random buyer that hates the holidays, but most people are not offended by someone else's beliefs. You’ll find buyers are tolerant of most everything … except tacky overdone decorations! If you are unsure what constitutes tacky, then refer to popular home decor magazines for pictures and examples of what is acceptable.
Selling a home is about putting the best foot forward. So, in addition to making it available to buyers and decorating tastefully, it's important to consider how your home will appear in wintertime photography.
Great photography is key when posting pictures to the MLS. This is your home's first impression, but the snow, ice, and dreariness of winter months can be a little boring. Take your time to stage the best pictures possible. Take advantage of sunny days glistening across snowy banks. Let the charm of your living room shine with a perfectly trimmed tree.
Buyers also love to see how your home looks throughout the seasons. Talk to your Realtor about including pictures of your home when your yard is bursting with springtime blooms or when your pool is full of sparkling blue water.
The holidays can be a wonderful time for families, but with a few compromises you can also make a sale during this special time!
In closing, as we remember 2012 and begin our planning for 2013, please remember me in all of your real estate plans. ??The spring market beginning in February will be here before you know it. ?If our winter continues to be mild it will start sooner.
Buyers are out there looking and inventory in most communities is low. If you have been on the fence about selling or buying? now is the time. Record low interest rates and record high affordability points to the best time ever to buy or sell a home. If you want to sell your home this spring, make me part of your plan and call me! Let me add you to my long list of satisfied customers.
May you enjoy the best of the holiday season and look forward to a wonderful, new year ahead full of family and friends. Call me at 508-366-3766 today.
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