Ho Ho Homes: Holiday Advice for Austin Home Sellers

The basics for selling your home around the holidays:

• The buyers who are out there are serious
• The tire kickers are out shopping and putting up holiday decorations
• There are fewer homes on the market so less competition
• There are buyers who, for tax purposes or other business-related purposes, need to close on a property by December 31
• Buyers have more time on their hands, days off

Some sellers TIPS for the holidays:

• Yes, on moderate holiday decorations
• No, on your 140-piece snow village collection
• Do not put Santa on your roof
• Consider not having a tree
• If you do have a tree, make it small and/or remove some living room furniture so the room does not feel smaller because of the pine or plastic pine
• Not all prospective buyers have the same religious observations
• 37th Street is cool but not a recommended staging tactic

Don’t do this: http://youtu.be/HFjI7gT1FvI

Or this: http://youtu.be/CixdqgGwPr8

Or this:   

Consider this … here is a great HGTV article on decorating and staging tips: http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/realtors-top-10-tips-for-wowing-buyers/pictures/index.html

Keep in mind that some perfectly wonderful homes do not sell because the first impression is off. Buyers will make a gut decision on a house within the first 2 minutes of walking in We believe there are 5 first impressions and it is critical to nail them all as best possible:

1. The first online impression, the online photos … lots of them and they need to be quality on day 1 in the MLS.
2. When buyers first pull up to the curb
3. When buyers first walk in the front door
4. The kitchen
5. The back yard

If you can wow buyers with any or all of these first impressions, with or without holiday decorations, you’ll be in good shape to take advantage of the November and December Austin homes market.

Happy holidays.

 

 

The Nelson Project at Keller Williams Realty in Austin strives to provide valuable real estate information and news through this blog and our other online resources.  Find more about The Nelson Project and search for Austin homes at www.TheNelsonProject.com.  If you like this blog, you may want to visit our totally useful Austin neighborhood portal.  We think you may also like www.tacomap.info (tacos first, real estate second).  If you really like what you see, tell your friends to call us with their Austin real estate needs.

 

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