‘Tis the season for holiday lights, Christmas trees, Chanukah menorahs, wreaths and yards filled with inflatable holiday characters. Yes, the holiday season is here.
If your house is for sale during this time of year, you may wonder if decorating your home will hurt your chances of selling. While we don’t suggest you deck the halls, it is possible to fulfill your desire to decorate while ensuring your home is show-ready and enticing to prospective buyers.
1. Keep It Simple
This is the year for decorating restraint. Too much decorating can be overwhelming for a prospective buyer and detracts from your curb appeal. Add some outdoor holiday flair with an elegant wreath on the front door, garlands or white candle lights in the windows.
Follow the same approach inside. If you have a Christmas tree, use simple white lights and a few tasteful decorations. Try to stay away from the popsicle stick ornaments your preschooler made and opt for a more classic and simple choice like colored glass balls, stars or snowflakes.
2. Keep Religious Preferences in Mind
Christmas may steal the show this time of year, but Christmas may not be the holiday your prospective buyers are celebrating. HGTV recommends “equal opportunity decorating.” Try an elegant approach with winter-themed decorations. For instance, add a poinsettia as a centerpiece on the dining room table or Nutcracker decorations on the mantel.
3. Think Warm and Cozy
Baby it’s cold outside! Make your home a place that prospective buyers don’t want to leave. Light a fire or turn up the heat. Nobody wants to walk around your home while shivering. Better Homes and Gardens also suggests creating a cozy vibe with throw blankets (they can add a pop of color) and rearranging furniture to focus on the fireplace.
4. Respect the Senses
The smell of apple cider candles or peppermint candies might get you into the holiday spirit, but it could be off-putting to a prospective buyer. We recommend the smell-free approach. Create an inviting mood in your home with a few festive decorations and a thorough cleaning instead.
5. Make Clean Up Easy
The Christmas tree may be beautiful, but the shedding pine needles aren’t. Consider forgoing the tree this year, or if a Christmas tree is a must, perhaps it's the year for an artificial tree.
Clutter is also a big “don’t” and makes clean up more of a chore. While it’s fun to display holiday cards from family and friends, they can quickly take over your mantel, making your beautiful fireplace look like less like a focal point and more like an overstuffed turkey. Read the cards and box them up rather than displaying them this year … it will leave you with one less thing to tackle when your house sells.
There you have it - with simple and neutral décor, your house can be show-ready and festive this holiday season … and gift you a “sold!” home.
