Holiday Home Selling and Staging Rules

October 19, 2012

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A simple container garden can showcase the season

With a wonderful up swing in home prices, many people are ready to get those homes staged, marketed and sold! Selling your home in the fall/winter months have a few rules to be privy to, especially when it comes to decorating during the holidays. Here in Chicago, fall kicks off an open invitation to blanket a home with themed decor. Those darn retail stores, catalogs and show-off neighbors put pressure on us to adorn our homes both inside and out with piles of trimmings. Doing that is fabulous when you aren't selling your home... but if selling - restraint is the urge. Beyond the holiday decor, weather too can be a problem when lookers come knocking. Leaves, snow and wet can be a hindrance to both the prospective buyer and your wood or carpet floors. Let's make looking at your home a good and positive experience.

Make sure your home's entry is buyer friendly by maintaining walkways and having a lovely entry rug to land wet feet. A basket full of those blue booties can keep your floors clean and make your guests comfortable when walking about your home.

When seasonally staging/decorating a home keep true to the bones of the home and the decorative style of the interior. Be very careful when staging and styling the home keeping in-tune to the price point, architecture, and decorative interior style.

Accessorize to the style of your home.

When decorating, limit your accessories and decor -think "Holiday "Lite" when unpacking your festive boxes. Holiday and seasonal decorating make homes feel real and buyers happy. But too much, too personal, or too many colors can obscure views, make rooms feel smaller and distract buyers from their true purpose: deciding whether or not your home is right for them.

Go Holiday "Lite" when selling your home.

Create simple curb appeal when selling during Holiday months.

This same rule applies to the exterior of the home. Keep it simple. Two lovely urns seasonally dressed flagging your entry adds classic appeal, rather than a large blow-up Holiday character to greet guests.

Think twice before displaying decorations specific to your religious or cultural heritage, it makes it more difficult for others who don't share your background or beliefs to envision themselves living in the space.

Battery operated candles offer a cozy feel and keep your home safe, Fresh seasonal flowers or greenery in vases, bowls of ornaments are simple ways of celebrating the season when selling.

Stay safe when selling your home

Tap the spirit. Light the fireplace if you have one. Decorate with a pretty throw or pillow, add the scents of the season. Make your home cozy, inviting and warm someone else might want to move right in.