Buyers looking for homes during the cooler, less popular months of the year tend to be more serious about finding a home, which is good news for sellers. Unfortunately, many major holidays occur during this time of year, which is a downside for sellers who enjoy entertaining. Thankfully, it’s possible to keep your home on the market and enjoy the holiday season.

Here are a few tips for successfully selling your home during the holidays:

Don’t Overdo It
If you’re a person who enjoys filling their home with holiday decorations, you’re going to have to tone it down this year. That doesn’t mean you can’t decorate at all, but keep in mind that buyers might have a hard time imagining themselves in your living space if it’s jam packed with mementos and holiday cheer. A few tasteful decorations around your home can still leave you with that bubbly feeling and won’t make your buyers uncomfortable.

No matter what time of the year you put your home on the market, strong smells and personal items are a no-no, so quickly remove family photos and try to refrain from lighting a holiday spice scented candle in every room before showings and open houses.

It’s also worth noting that not every buyer is going to celebrate the same holidays as you do. While you might not see the point in changing the way you enjoy the season for someone else, you have to remember that your main goal is to get your home sold. Don’t do anything to jeopardize that.

Forgo Hosting Duties
You never know if the right buyer is going to only be available to look at your home during the time that you’ve planned a holiday party. You can take the risk of letting your real estate agent know the property is unavailable to show, but at the end of the day you’ll have to decide if you’d rather have the memory of a party or have your home under contract. Tag team with a friend or family member, and agree to help them host this year’s party at their home.

Stay Flexible
Winter, in particular, is a season for staying indoors, and after a long day, the last thing you probably want to do is get bundled up to go wait in the cold while someone comes to look at your home. It’s important to remember that buyers looking at homes during the colder months are probably only looking at homes that they’re seriously considering buying. (They have to get bundled up, too.) Be open to open houses and showings, even if you’d rather stay home.

Don’t Neglect Your Exterior
The ice and snow of an Ohio winter can create potentially dangerous situations if walkways and sidewalks are not maintained. You should make an effort to keep them clean regardless of whether a showing or an open house is scheduled, but you especially need to do it if one is. Nothing will turn a buyer off of your home more than an ice skating rink for a walkway and a broken ankle as a souvenir of the visit.

If you keep your home clean and safe, stay flexible, and don’t go nuts with decorations, selling your home during the holidays is no different than selling your home during any other time of the year. As long as it’s in good condition and priced correctly, you should have no trouble selling in the current Central Ohio market.

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