Fsbo

Selling your home over the holidays doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience. It’s true that the holiday season can be a hectic time to host an open house and keep your home ready for viewing, but this can be a wonderful time to show off your home – tastefully decorated with greenery, lights, and holiday decor – at its most inviting and most festive.

When it’s time to host your open house, use this open house checklist, full of great open house tips and ideas, to help make the day a big success.

• Open all curtains and blinds as wide as you can on the day of your open house to let in as much natural light as possible.
• Use high-wattage bulbs in all light fixtures. Turn on lamps and overhead lights.
• Schedule your open house for high-daylight hours.
• Set the temperature at a comfortable level during your open house.
• Consider asking buyers to remove their shoes before touring the house. This will not only keep mud and slush from being tracked into your house, but potential buyers may take it as a sign that your home is carefully maintained all the time.
• Simmer apples, cloves, and cinnamon on the stove an hour before prospective buyers arrive. The spicy/sweet aroma creates a comforting ambiance.
• Play holiday music in the background.
• Bake holiday cookies and treats and offer them, along with a cup of hot chocolate, to prospective buyers.

With a few well chosen holiday decorations, you can create a festive atmosphere that will make it easy for buyers to imagine themselves living in your home.

Exterior Decorations

Because the days are shorter, it’s quite possible that potential buyers will drive by your home at dusk or after dark. At this time of year, it’s a good idea to spend part of your open house budget on exterior lighting.

• Use clear or colored spotlights to accent a specimen tree or exterior details. Much quicker to set up and remove than exterior strand lights, spotlights also add a flair of sophistication.

• Place electric candles in the windows to make your home look more inviting.

• Install timers or light sensors to turn outdoor lights on and off automatically. This will help your home look warm and welcoming whenever prospective buyers drive past, even if you’re not home.

• Add a festive wreath at the front door to welcome all. Or dress up your home’s entryway with seasonal floral arrangements, greenery, and ribbons. Be sure to leave your porch light on so your entryway is well-lit and inviting.

Interior Decorations

• Inside, keep clutter down by packing away everyday accessories and replacing them with a few holiday items.

• If you normally have a tree, consider a smaller one this year or remove some of the furniture in the room to keep the room from feeling crowded by the tree.

• Pick ornaments and other decorations that don’t clash with the colors of the room.

• Consider adding a warm glow with a string of amber lights embedded in a garland on a fireplace mantle or stair railing.

• Use rich velvet table covers in the dining room, fluffy towels in the kitchen and bath, and cozy throws in the living room to cozy up your home.

• As with exterior lighting, use timers to take the worry out of turning lights on and off.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 26th, 2007 at 10:36 am and is filed under FSBO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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