The Christmas season from December through January is often considered the worst time to put a home on the market. While the thought of selling your home during the winter months may dampen your holiday spirit, the season does have its advantages
Holiday buyers tend to be more serious, and competition is less fierce with fewer homes being actively marketed. First, decide if you really need to sell, really. Once you've committed to the challenge follow these tips below.
Deck the halls, but don't go overboard.Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be careful not to overdo it on the decor. Adornments that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Also, avoid offending buyers by opting for general winter decorations rather than items with religious themes.
Hire a reliable real estate agent.That means someone who will work hard for you and won't disappear during, Christmas or New Year's. Ask your friends and family if they can recommend a listing agent who will go above and beyond to get your home sold. This will ease your stress and give you more time to enjoy the season.
Seek out motivated buyers.Anyone house hunting during the holidays must have a good reason for doing so. Work with your agent to target buyers on a deadline, including people relocating for jobs in your area, investors on tax deadlines, college students and staff.
Price it to sell.No matter what time of year, a home that's priced low for the market will make buyers feel merry. Rather than gradually making small price reductions, many real estate agents advise sellers to slash their prices before putting a home on the market.
Make curb appeal a top priority.When autumn rolls around and the trees start to lose their leaves, maintaining the exterior of your home becomes even more important. Bare trees equal a more exposed home, so touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Keep buyers' safety in mind as well by making sure stairs and walkways are free of snow, ice and leaves.
Take top-notch real estate photos.When the weather outside is frightful, homebuyers are likely to start their house hunt from the comfort of their homes by browsing listings on the Internet. Make a good first impression by offering lots of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. If possible, have a summer or spring photo of your home available so buyers can see how it looks year-round.
Create a video tour for the Web.You'll get less foot traffic during the holidays, thanks to inclement weather and holiday plans. But shooting a video tour and posting it on the Web may attract house hunters who don't have time to physically see your home or would rather not drive in horrific weather.
Give house hunters a place to escape from the cold.Make your home feel cosy and inviting during showings by cranking up the heat, playing soft music and offering homemade Christmas treats, even the aroma is enough to evoke a warm homely feeling in potential buyers. When you encourage buyers to spend more time in your home, you also give them more time to admire its best features.
Relax -- the New Year is just around the corner.Christmas is stressful enough, with gifts to buy, dinners to prepare and relatives to entertain. Take a moment to remind yourself that if you don't sell now, there's always next year, which luckily is only a few days away.
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