As Christmas fast approaches, you just might be beginning to get into the festive spirit. Besides Christmas shopping, for anyone selling their home there are a few other things to think about and organise. Christmas, perhaps surprisingly, is a great time to launch your home to the market. The Times reports that sellers who come on to the market in December are 6% more likely to sell their property above the asking price.

Many people are together with family and have time to chat about their next life steps, including moving home. Added to which, for anyone not working over Christmas, there may be spare time to browse the property portals and dream of what they would like to do. Last year Rightmove recorded 51million visits between Boxing Day and New Year. If you are serious about selling in 2022 then capturing the imagination of the potential buyers over the Christmas break is a fantastic opportunity. You may find yourself with an exciting new adventure ahead by the Spring. 

We’ve put together some of our top tips to help you draw in anyone browsing the property marketing sites instead of watching reruns of the old Bond movies so that you can achieve the best possible price in the quickest possible time. 

1. Keep the Christmas decorations minimal

If you have interested potential buyers wanting to view your home while you have the decorations up they won’t want to see bright green and red garlands swamping the room. Think about keeping decorations to a minimum to avoid overshadowing the features and potential of your house. There are some stylish decorations available to buy at many high street stores which will fit in well with your current décor. Neutral candles and foliage wreaths work really well. 

2. Think about your tree choice

Real trees are a great option if you are wanting a Christmas tree. Their natural scent is fresh and clean, however, you will need to keep on top of the loose pine needles which can look messy when they begin to fall. When decorating the tree, don’t overuse bright coloured decorations, stick to a theme and keep it neutral. Less is more when it comes to tree decorating! Wrapping up gifts in a similar colour of paper helps to tie in the whole look.

3. Choose warm fairy lights

Warm coloured fairy lights will create a cosy atmosphere and set the tone. Bright white lights on the other hand can be quite harsh to the eye. As you are selling your home in winter it is likely to be dark outside so use lots of lamps to create pockets of light around the house and to highlight certain features. We would suggest avoiding filling your garden with brightly lit snowman or reindeer decorations. 

4. Tidy away anything not needed

During the Christmas period viewers will expect to an extent to see Christmas clutter but where possible keep unnecessary items out of sight. Keep on top of the tidying and the washing up pile. You will likely have more hands available to help so give family members tasks to help you. Even getting your children to make their bed in the morning is a big help if you get a viewing call. 

We know from previous years’ statistics that Rightmove experiences a high demand during the Christmas period. Make sure your property is prepared and market ready. Once Christmas Day is over and the leftovers are eaten, people are looking ahead into the new year and may be serious about buying. Speak with your agent to ensure you know when their closed periods will be and how they will deal with enquiries during that time if it is likely to be busy. You never know, you may also be looking for something to buy! 

Contact us 

If you would like to speak to our interior Staging & Styling team to help you design your home for Christmas, or get your home at its best before going to market over the festive period, please contact Fine & Country Property Staging today.

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