Did you know that Christmas is only four weeks away?! That means there is only a month for you to go shopping, decorate the house, wrap gifts, do your Christmas baking, clean your home for guests, the list goes on. On top of this, your home may already be on the market or you’ve decided to list it during the holidays. Some people say that the holidays are the worst time to try and sell your home, but we’re here to tell you the opposite. Since fewer people list their homes during this time, there is less competition and buyers are more serious about making a decision. Here are some tips to help your home sell more quickly this holiday season so that you can get back to singing Christmas carols and eating gingerbread with your family.
Decorate Modestly
Christmas time is generally the season where your home looks the best: it’s tidy, decorated for the holidays and smells incredible. However, it’s important to not overdo it. If your ornaments are too big or poorly placed, they could take away from your home and cause potential buyers to miss seeing the main features of your home. Ensure that your decorations are modern, small and tasteful so that your home looks appealing to all whilst not obstructing their view.
Bake Before a Showing
If you know there’s going to be a showing in the afternoon, why not save your Christmas baking until that morning so the potential buyers are welcomed by the smell of fresh cookies? Perhaps you even leave a few on a plate for them to sample as they walk around your beautifully decorated home, munching away on delicious gingerbread men or shortbread creations. Don’t have time to bake? There are plenty of festive scents that you can plugin or add to your current diffuser to create that homey feel, such as cedar, apple spice or cardamom.
Hire a Professional
Regardless of how fast you want your home to sell, a professional photographer or videographer is essential to listing your home on today’s market. A good photographer will make your rooms look huge, accentuate main features and hide less desirable ones. Since the holidays bring cooler weather and people generally like to stay at home with their families, consider creating a video tour for potential buyers to watch on the web prior to booking a showing. This will give them a feel for your home prior to visiting and could bring in more people if the video is done well.
Provide Holiday Pricing
If you’re looking to get rid of your home as soon as possible, it’s important to price it properly. Rather than slowly lowering the price as you negotiate with potential buyers, slash the price at the beginning so that buyers feel merry coming to see your home. Alternatively, if your home doesn’t sell before Christmas Day, that’s okay too. It’s important to relax – you have all next year to sell your home. There’s no point in rushing the sale if it’s not meant to be.
Happy holidays, Calgary.
