Change “For Sale” to “Sold” during the Holidays

Selling a home during the holidays has become a vibrant sector of the real estate market. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 842,000 new homes were sold in December 2020 at an average sales price of $394,000.

Selling during the holidays is no longer for the desperate seller who must be out of her house and ready to deploy or to assume a new job. Every market is unique, and many areas of the country have low inventory in desirable neighborhoods. With the convenience of online listings, buyers and sellers want to eliminate all the unnecessary hype and get it done. Otherwise, all parties would wait for a saner time period to buy and sell.

If you are considering selling your home during the holiday season, consider the following suggestions from real estate gurus on how to sell your home quickly.

Appearance
If possible, hire a staging expert, who does this for a living and has professional expertise in showcasing homes to their best advantage. She knows how to get rid of clutter. For example, you shouldn’t throw your kids’ presents in the closet. Everyone wants to know the size of the closets, and a prospective buyer will pop the door open to determine if their possessions will fit inside. The fewer items left in the closet, the bigger the closet looks.

The staging expert will help you decorate tastefully but subtly for the holidays, taking into account religious customs of the season and those of potential buyers. Turn on all the lights to avoid shadows during the shorter days of winter. Your goal is to make your house cozy but not your grandma’s.

Schedules
Does your real estate agent work through the holidays? Many don’t, so be sure to ask. If the agent is going on vacation or visiting relatives for the week before the holiday, she may not be the best one for you. Your real estate agent needs to know which lenders, inspectors, title companies and settlement agents are also working during the holidays. If you are working with a large firm, ask if they have someone who specializes in selling during the holidays. The agent will earn her fees by steering the paperwork to individuals who are as dedicated as she is.

Repairs
Complete home maintenance projects early. Most home owners have a myriad of chores that never seem to get done, such as a sticky drawer, a broken light switch, a spot on the rug, an outdoor light fixture that doesn’t work. You should dedicate a weekend to doing them yourself or hire someone to fix these problems before you list your house. It’s discouraging for a prospective owner to think of having to do these chores themselves.

Smell Test
Use your senses to create a pleasant impression. We all know of Realtors who bake cookies when they are showing a house. Now’s a perfect time to bake seasonal pies and cookies that will leave a subtle, pleasant smell in your home. Any pet odors or other smelly odors need to be masked or covered up as best you can. This is the perfect time to check the HVAC system. Better to find out if there is a problem with the furnace, especially if it is smelly, before placing your home on the market.

Go!
Be ready to close quickly. Ignore offers from lowballers or those who want to waste your time with Hubbard clauses, which reserve the right for the buyer to purchase your property while trying to sell theirs, or other contingencies. Buyers may be looking for a tax break, but it can be difficult to meet all of the lender’s conditions. Here is where a real estate agent, who knows how to get the ball rolling, comes in. She should be able to get appraisers, inspectors and title companies motivated to help close the deal before January 1.

What if it doesn’t sell?
Don’t panic. New buyers move into the market every month, and current low interest rates are very attractive. Don’t lower the price of your home to bargain basement prices. Potential new buyers include those who have decided to stop paying rent and get a house. The buyers who couldn’t find a property in December may be extra motivated to get a house at the first of the year since they need to get settled.

Feedback
Place a notebook near the front door in which potential buyers can leave feedback on what they liked or disliked about the house. You can also leave them small presents, such as cookies or small, wrapped candies, to tempt them to leave their comment. ■

Sources: thebalance.com, angieslist.com and homes.com.