While
listing your home during the holidays can result in serious showings
there may be a few extra things to consider. The commercialization of
Christmas has moved the seasonal calendar back each year. Homes are
decked out even before Thanksgiving.
The sense of home created
by holiday decorations may be great for a showings but be careful, too
much of a good thing can transform your living spaces from comfortable
to cozy. Cozy may sell in a ski resort but it’s not necessarily what
Hawaii buyers are looking for. Over decorating can also make a huge
difference to the on-line presence. Remember, well over 80% of buyers
are now starting their search on-line.
Like a house where a
seller has too much “stuff”, decorations can make it difficult for a
buyer to get a sense of the property. I speak from personal experience.
I once listed our home right before Christmas. From the looks of the
photos, I was following the “more is better” school of decorating. The
photos looked great. Trouble was, they were more appropriate for a
Lillian Vernon Catalog than a house ad.
I quickly realized
that it was a mistake to have taken photos which included holiday
decorations. One of the biggest benefits of the internet is that buyers
arrive armed with much more information than those searching in a
conventional fashion. Buyers, even local ones, want to make the most of
their time; they are excited about the task at hand. They study on-line
photos for even the smallest details in advance. Too much holiday cheer
cluttering the photo really hinders their efforts. In the best of
circumstances, too much stuff tends to weigh down the home.
Unfortunately,
more often than not, holiday decorations in ad photos give the
perception that the home has been listed since the previous year! When
photos are left on-line after the holidays, it may help to add the year
to the photo captions but it’s really best to have the photos re-taken
once decorations are remove.
As I mentioned, selling at
Christmas can be a great idea. Christmas showings can evoke an
important sense of nostalgia but it may be wise focus less on Decking
the Hall and more on having yourself a Merry LITTLE Christmas. After
all, a sold home could have you singing Joy to the World even before
New Year’s rolls around!