Seller

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Real Estate Market: A Year in Review

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the real estate market saw changes that no one could have predicted. Investors aimed to sell off properties, rental prices cooled, and many people in big cities shifted their sights onto larger properties in more suburban areas. The pandemic also saw an increase in home prices as the interest rates sat at a reasonable level.

A Guide to Selling Your Home During the Holiday Season

The holidays are a time for festive cheer, family get-togethers, and, sometimes, selling your home. While selling during the holidays may seem less than ideal, some advantages exist, such as more motivated sellers and less competition. Because of that, it can be a great time to put your property on the market, but you have to do it right. There are things you can do during the holiday sale that will make it easier to get a reasonable price and move with ease.

Keep the Décor Simple

Decorating for the holidays may seem like a no-brainer, but you don’t want to go so over the top that it looks like a Christmas store inside your house. Festive decorations are good, but you want to keep things simple, as you would when selling at any time of the year. That unique decoration you love may not gain the same esteem from prospective buyers, and if anything is off-putting, they might not be able to picture themselves living in your home.

You also want to be mindful of all cultures and religions during the selling process. You may celebrate a specific winter holiday that many other people don’t. In that regard, keeping the décor simple and non-specific is best. Try decking your home out with understated decorations that fit the theme of winter instead of one specific holiday.

Curb Appeal, But Make it Safe

Curb appeal is vital to selling a property. It’s the first impression potential buyers get when pulling up to their potential future home, so you want to spend time making the outside of your property look as inviting as possible. You also want to keep things safe for potential buyers. No one wants to fight through mounds of snow and ice to get inside, and slips and falls can cause injuries.

Make sure that, alongside cleaning and decorating the outside of your house to make it look inviting, you also clear any winter debris that could be a safety hazard. That way, people can feed their curiosity about what the inside of your property has to offer by getting inside safely and soundly.

Respect the Buyer

People buying during the holiday season are often more motivated for personal reasons, often due to changing living situations or selling their own property. That’s why it’s vital to understand where the buyer is coming from when selling your home during the holidays. You want to respect the buyer by pricing the house to sell. That way, interested buyers won’t have to worry about affordability when looking at your property.

Another way to consider the buyer is by making your home a warm and safe haven from the cold. They are in and out of properties all day, so walking into a home that feels like refuge will be much more inviting than homes that keep the heat down during showings to cut costs. You may also want to be flexible with closing dates. While it’s not always possible, giving the motivated buyer the chance to choose their own closing date is a great way to seal the deal.

Selling your home during the holidays can be stressful on top of the hubbub of the festive season, but making a few tweaks to how you approach it can make it much easier to enjoy the process.

Thinking of making a move this holiday season? Reach out to us - The Warren Team - A tradition of trust!