Selling your home during the holidays? Here are 5 tips that can help you
Selling your home during the holidays might not be as easy as it seems. It is often considered the trickiest time of the year to sell a property.
Sellers might be in a rush to sell their home before a big Christmas party or vacation but it doesn't always happen as soon as they want it to.
Most businesses are already closed which means that a late sale might only be processed early in the following year.
While it might be tricky, however, it is not impossible selling your home during the holidays.
Here are 5 tips that can help you market your home more effectively.
1) Christmas decorations can help with selling your home during the holidays
The easiest way to make your home more presentable during the holidays is by adding Christmas decorations.
Very few things spark more joy than colourful lights, Santa ornaments, and Christmas trees.
This helps to create a more inviting atmosphere and potential sellers will definitely not swipe past the listing when they look at it.
However, you should be careful of over-decorating.
Avoid big ornaments that take up space in your home. This could make your house look cluttered.
Also, don't hang up ornaments with religious connotations. It might offend some viewers.
2) Give your curb some TLC
December in South Africa usually means that the weather is dry and after the long winter months your house might look a bit worse for wear.
Selling your home during the holidays is all about boosting your curb appeal.
This is the time for you to bring the sprinklers out and water the lawn more regularly.
You can also do a few cosmetic upgrades to the exterior of your house.
A new coat of paint will do wonders for your curb appeal and doing minor repairs can make everything look brand new again.
Combine this with outdoor Christmas decorations and you can attract a whole string of buyers.
3) Selling your home during the holidays call for professional photos
It is stating the obvious but taking professional photos of your property cannot be underestimated.
And during the holidays there are many ways that you can highlight the amazing features of your house.
While it is important to pay attention to the quality of your photos, you also need to be mindful of the time of day when you take them.
It is better to take interior photos during the day when the sun is streaming into the home.
This will bring natural light into the room and highlight the gorgeous features that it has to offer.
Taking photos during the night can help with the exterior of your property. You can create a magical atmosphere by capturing the pool area with the lights on or taking shots of the yard with the Christmas lights on.
See also: How Listing Photos Will Be Your Home's First Buyer Viewing
4) Create a comfortable feeling inside the house
Christmas time brings its own feeling of joy and cheer. You can easily add to this by creating a cosy atmosphere inside your house.
Make potential buyers feel comfortable by switching on the air conditioners or opening the huge windows in your house so that the cool breeze can come through.
This way they can see how your home can help them beat the summer heat.
For an extra special Christmas atmosphere, you can bake biscuits and let the smell flow through the house.
What is more comforting than that?
Buyers might also appreciate receiving biscuits as a small token of thanks from you. Successful sellers always go the extra mile when interacting with potential buyers.
5) Work with a professional real estate agent when selling your home during the holidays
And last but not least, of course, don't forget to enlist the help of a professional agent.
A professional real estate agent can assist you with even more helpful tips if you're struggling to sell your home during the holidays.
They will also know which attorneys will still be available when you do get a sale before Christmas.
A professional real estate agent won't just disappear over Christmas and New Year's. This way you will have support throughout December and the beginning of January.
Final thoughts
Selling your home during the holidays can be difficult but it is not impossible. With these tips and a professional estate agent, you might just have a successful sale before the year is over.