As I mentioned in a previous blog, the real estate market does not close during the holiday season. It may slow down, but it is a great way to attract serious buyers looking for a home this holiday season with little competition. The question on selling your Waltham, MA home during the holidays is whether to decorate your home or to leave it empty for showings. Here are some pros and cons of decorating for the holidays while you are trying to sell your home in Waltham, MA.
Why You Should Decorate
Decorating your house during the holiday season can be beneficial for both your family and potential buyers. This is because your family will be able to celebrate the season while offering any buyers a festive experience. As they tour the house during the showing, they can envision how the home will look for the holidays if they were to purchase.
In addition to your home, if your neighborhood dresses their properties up for the holidays, it is a great selling point to show potential buyers how festive and friendly the neighborhood is.
Here are some home staging suggestions for when you are decorating during the showing period:
- Avoid putting off potential buyers of different religions, keep it secular.
- Stick to neutral colors and decorations that enhance your current décor.
- Do not go overboard with the decorations as it could make your home appear cluttered.
- Avoid blocking important features of your home with decorations.
Why You Shouldn’t Decorate
As beautiful as holiday decorations are, they can have a negative effect on your home’s appeal during showings. Your home could seem small and cramped with all the decorations or the decorations become a distraction for buyers who are trying to envision themselves in the house. Be mindful of your potential buyers and decorate accordingly.
Reasons to not decorate while showing your home during the holidays:
- Religious décor could potentially alienate buyers.
- Protecting our privacy, as personalized decorations or cards could show personal information.
- Decorations, or trees, could block off areas of the house while also showing a mess with shedding pine needles.