Selling Your Home: How to Decorate for the Holidays
You might be struggling with holiday decorating this year if you are trying to sell your house. One question we get around this time of year is, “Will putting up holiday decorations in my home make it less desirable to buyers?” The answer is that decorating will not turn off buyers. It might even make your home more enticing during showings because buyers will see how beautiful everything looks decked out with holiday decor; though the key is to keep holiday decorations simple and elegant.
Decorating for the Holidays When Your Home is on the Market
To get you on the right track, we’ve put together a list of four things to keep in mind when decorating your home while it is on the market this holiday season.
1. Keep it Subtle
The goal is to be festive, without overwhelming potential buyers. You do not want to distract them from the structure and details that your home has to offer year round. Choose a subtle theme that still aligns with the season. When you decorate for the holidays, you want to create a look that is cozy, warm and inviting without overdoing it.Some popular decor items you should try to avoid while your home is on the market are huge, bright multi-colored lights and Santas or snowmen that make noise or dance when you walk by. Generally, anything loud, noisy, or attention-grabbing is a no-go.One way to keep things festive without being too drastic is to use snowflake themed decorations that subtly reflect the winter season. You can add subtle touches like holiday-scented candles, a wreath or a holiday-themed welcome-mat.These are all things that won’t take too much attention away from the home itself, or be off-putting.If you want to throw in some extra holiday spirit, switch out your blankets and throw pillows with ones that have a vintage holiday theme (right photo source: greatamericancountry.com).
2. Coordinate with Everyday Decor
As you prepare to decorate for the holidays, keep in mind that you’ll want to choose colors and pieces that won’t clash with the rest of the decor in your home.If your current living-room decor consists of statement patterns or bold colors, it will be a bit more difficult to coordinate with the typical red and green color palette. If you find yourself struggling to coordinate your holiday decor with your current decor, try going with neutral ribbons, ornaments, and lights in white, silver, or gold.
3. Keep it Simple
We all love those cute ornaments that the kids make, but we suggest keeping them out of the main rooms of your home while it is on the market. In our Home Staging Tips From the Pros post, we discussed the importance of removing anything from your space that makes buyers feel as if the house belongs to somebody else – this also pertains to holiday decor.You can still display those personal ornaments on a small tree in bedrooms or play areas; buyers pay less attention to these areas and will know that they are meant for children. Another option is to take down personal family ornaments/holiday decor when a showing is scheduled.
4. Consult Your Agent
Whether you’re simply unsure of how to decorate your home or just want a second opinion, your agent should be your go-to person for these questions. That’s what we are here for. We can use our expertise in staging to help you deck the halls, without scaring away potential buyers.Are you looking to buy a home in Kansas City or thinking of putting your home on the market? Give us a call today! You can reach our team at 913.521.8806. You can also come visit our office at 5000 W. 135th St. Leawood, KS 66224. Happy Holidays!