What does the holiday season mean to you? If you’re like most people, your life probably gets more hectic one way or the other. Work might become more demanding, or perhaps your free time becomes dominated by various commitments with family and friends. As fun and cheerful of a time as the holidays can be, there’s no denying the uproar in social activity and total deviation from routine can be downright exhausting.

And despite all of this, you’ve decided to sell your home during this busy time? Have no fear! Your Realtor has likely been dealing with the holiday housing market for years, and they can help you navigate the selling process with great success. To do your part to ensure a successful sale, be prepared by keeping the following items in mind.

 

Holiday Season Buyers Are Higher Quality Buyers

Here is where selling during the holiday season can have its advantages. While it is typical that there may be fewer buyers at this time of year, they tend to be serious buyers. Holiday home shoppers are ready to make a decision. People typically don’t want to shop for homes during the holiday season, so if they are it’s probably because there is some urgency. Perhaps the buyers are relocating because of a new job which has a specific start date. Often relocating buyers have a short “shopping” window – maybe even just one weekend. Because of these holiday buyer constraints, it’s up to you as the seller to be open-minded and flexible.

Don’t Over-Decorate

This is important for a couple of reasons. First, you don’t want to do anything that could distract from the inherent beauty of your home. Overwhelming your space with decorations can be distracting and cause spaces to feel small and cluttered. Larger decorations can also hide selling points of your home. Try considering a smaller Christmas tree to keep your ceilings from feeling low, and be sure that your fireplace still shines through even with stockings or garlands hung on it. Secondly, the holiday for which you are decorating may simply not be the same holiday a potential buyer celebrates. Keeping decorations in moderations allows more room for potential buyers to envision their own celebrations in the home.

Be Flexible With Your Schedule

The holidays already bring a change in your regular schedule, and trying to squeeze in showings during the craziness of it all can be overwhelming. However, it’s crucial that you be open-minded about when you are showing your home. Some buyers are only in town for a few days to shop for homes, and missing a showing could mean losing a buyer. If you have family staying at your place for a period of time or don’t feel comfortable having a showing on a specific holiday, be clear with your Realtor about those needs ahead of time. Don’t make your unavailability window too large – anywhere from a couple of days to week would be fair.

 

Before the holidays hit, communicate your needs clearly to your agent. Decide on the days, if any, when you won’t allow showings at your home. It’s important that you make an effort to accommodate each showing request and help your home appeal to every buyer. Selling your home during the holidays is a commitment, and success is contingent on embracing that. If you set clear boundaries and remain flexible, patient, and opportunistic, you’ll lower the amount of stress and increase the chances of nabbing the right buyer.