Should you put up your Christmas decorations if you are trying to sell your home?
If you're trying to sell your home, you might wonder what to do around Christmas time. Should you take it off the market for a month or so? Or try to juggle the viewing appointments around your other commitments?
If a viewer wants to come and see your home, you want to make sure that they see it in the very best light, right? Do they really want to view a property fully decorated for Christmas? Perhaps you should just have a toned-down Christmas this year without any decorations?
Bah Humbug!
This is a wonderful time of year. It's so lovely to walk through towns with the Christmas lights ablaze, twinkling joyfully in the chilly night sky. Returning to your cosy home covered in fairy lights, snuggling up on the sofa in front of the tv and a lit fire.
Don't dismiss marketing your home at Christmas because that warm festive feeling can also translate to your property marketing. You don't want to turn viewers away, and if you remove the property from the market, you will definitely not sell it.
Inviting a potential buyer to view your home when you have decorated for Christmas could be a master stroke. If you curate your Christmas decorations carefully, they can enhance your marketing.
And consider for a moment what the other property sellers are doing. Are they all refusing viewings because their home is not presented the same as in the photographs? Are they cancelling appointments because they are just too busy to accommodate them? This time of year could remove all of the competition for your sale.
Quite often, whilst viewing properties, buyers will discuss where they might put the Christmas tree or if there is enough room for the whole family to sit down to Christmas dinner. This allows you to showcase how your family uses the home at Christmas, which is a huge part of family life for so many people.
Dress your home for the most luxurious Christmas ever, and you may find that you can achieve a great sale. Check out our top tips.
Pick a signature colour. To decorate your home for Christmas in a sophisticated way, choose one signature colour and make sure that all the decorations match.
Sorry kids, this is not the National Lampoon's Christmas. This is not the year for brash Christmas lights and inflatable Santas. Forego the inflation Santa on the front lawn and the illuminated reindeer and snowman.
Keep it simple. Don't go overboard. You want to be tasteful and sophisticated. Imagine the local boutique interiors shop and how they decorate for Christmas. This is the vibe that you should be aiming for.
Lean in to Christmas. Play soft Christmas music in the background and perhaps offer the viewers a warm mince pie or mulled wine?
Try to recreate that warm feeling in your heart, and home, as the big day nears, and you might just find that your viewers fall head over heels for your home at Christmas time. Some of that festive cheer could rub off, and the viewers might just make you an offer!
If you are considering selling your home or are already on the market and think it's time for a change, get in touch with our friendly team of property experts today.