This is actually an old post of mine from 2006, but the advice still holds true today. I’m pulling it out and dusting it off for those end of the year home sellers who might have missed it the first time around.”
With Thanksgiving here to kick off the winter holiday season, there are a couple of questions that we get every year from the sellers we represent. We wanted to share them with you today.
We don’t want to leave our home on the market during the holidays. Is anybody really looking?
Actually, yes, they are. And if your home is not on the market, they can’t buy it. Home buyers this time of year are serious. If they are willing to look at homes in cold weather, then they probably HAVE to move. We are talking transferees, first time home buyers, etc. These are very good buyers, and we don’t want them to miss your home. This holds even more true in our current strong buyer’s market in Michigan. With buyers being in high demand, we really don’t want you to miss a single showing. Dmitry and I usually have one of our busiest months of the year in December. This December should not be any different.
Can I decorate my home when it is on the market?
By all means. As a matter of fact, this is the time of year when many homes are looking there best. But we would suggest you keep your decorations at a minimum, just so that potential buyers can keep their focus on the architectural beauty of your home, and not on your lovely decorations. Simple is best. Same for outside decorations. This probably is a good year to skip the lit up sleigh and reindeer on the roof.
I am entertaining a lot. Can we just stop showings for a week or two?
We can do whatever you need to do. But we suggest you do whatever you can to accommodate a showing. If a particular showing time really does not work, it is OK to ask if they can come back at a better time. We can also require a certain amount of notice, say 4 hours, prior to each showing.
Do we have to have a yard sign up? Wouldn’t we better off having it look like a fresh listing after the New Year?
No, you don’t have to have the yard sign up, but we would strongly recommend you leave it up. Yard signs actually attract a lot of buyers. We don’t want to eliminate any marketing tool we have right now. There will also be a lot of new houses coming back on the market after the new year, owned by other people who share this feeling. We would like to see if we can find a buyer for your home before then.
This time of the year is a great time to have your home on the market. Just remember the basics. Have it well priced. Make sure it is in good condition. Know that you have a strong marketing plan in place to get the word out. And do what you can to make it accessible to potential buyers. With these things in place, you are more likely to have a quick sale, and you are not competing with all of the homes that will be on the market in the spring.
Written by Maureen Francis
SKBK Sotheby's International Realty, 248.430.4450
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