Selling Your Home During the Holidays

Laurie Brill, 2020 President, Lorain County Association of Realtors®

Laurie Brill 2020 LoCAR President

As part of LoCAR's continuing effort to inform the general public of real estate issues, the following article was submitted to the Morning Journal, The Chronicle-Telegram and LorainCounty.com:

Although, some homebuyers take the holiday season off, those who are still looking are serious buyers.

During the holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to take full advantage of staging and showing off your home unlike any other time of year! Holiday decorations make a house feel more like a home. But be sure that you don’t clutter your home. Moderation is the best rule of thumb when decorating your home for the holidays while it’s on the market.

Here are some easy ideas and tips to keep in mind:

(1.) As always, making a great first impression is important. Curb appeal is the way to do it. Keep your sidewalks, driveway and entry clear of snow and ice.

(2.) Adorn your front door with a fragrant and fresh holiday wreath.

(3.) For a festive ambiance use tasteful holiday lighting both indoors and outdoors.

(4.) When you know your REALTOR® is going to have a showing, set the thermostat at a comfortable setting … not too cool and not too warm. Some people may not feel comfortable enough to remove their coats.

(5.) Prior to the showing, heat up some apple cider on the stove for a wonderful aroma or maybe bake some gingerbread.

(6.) Avoid putting up a large tree. A tree that’s very large can crowd a room and make it look smaller. Instead of a traditional tree, you can opt to just enhance the architectural features of your home, for instance place a garland on the fireplace mantle or around archways.

(7.) Make sure that potential buyers can move around your home freely without knocking over decorations. (Again, the clutter issue arises!)

(8.) Don’t leave gifts under the tree - opened or unopened.

Also, keep in mind that all the decorations you put out may have to be put away early when you sell your home!

Remember, when you’re ready to buy or sell your home, members of the Lorain County Association of REALTORS® is here to assist. They care about the community in which they live, work and support. Lorain County offers a wide variety of choices.

Do your research and take advantage of the many housing opportunities right here in Lorain County. We are fortunate to live in a region with such vast offerings. From big to small, country to city... it's available in Lorain County! Our proximity to highway and freeway access provides great commute options both east and west! Contact your LoCAR REALTOR® member today.

The Lorain County Association of REALTORS® is one of more than 1,200 local boards and associations of REALTORS® nationwide that comprise the National Association of REALTORS®. The National Association of REALTORS®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing over 1.4 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all real estate sales agents are REALTORS®. All REALTORS® are members of NAR along with their State and Local Association.