Your clients want to sell their homes, but they also want to celebrate the season. As you’re likely aware, there’s a fine line when it comes to staging a house for the holidays.
The key to home staging at any time of year is to create an attractive, clutter-free environment that prospective buyers will long to call their own. And although it’s okay for clients to show some holiday spirit in their living spaces, keeping seasonal décor classy and contained can help them score the home sale.
Following are some tips for decking the halls without inadvertently sending house hunters on their merry way:
DO:
- Dress up the front door with an elegant, live wreath. Add additional impact with a tasteful bow.
- Flank the entry with a pair of large urns. Fill them with hearty winter plants, such as potted blue spruce and winter gem boxwood.
- Set up the tree but keep it simple. Adorn the tree with white lights and uniform ornaments (i.e. stick to a single shade and shape) rather than an assortment of homemade ones from the kids.
- Display seasonal greenery in select rooms. A perfectly positioned poinsettia in the kitchen and/or a holiday arrangement in the dining room can add visual interest without overwhelming prospects.
- Keep all other holiday décor to a minimum. To help prevent clutter, remove one non-seasonal item for each holiday decoration you display.
- Bake some holiday treats. Buyers will be drawn to the smell of seasonal baked goods, which can also help mask any unpleasant odors.
DON’T:
- Hang the holiday lights this year. They may be distracting and call attention to a chore some prospective buyers would rather overlook.
- Clutter the yard with oversized inflatables. Show off Rudolph and all of the other reindeer after settling into a new home next holiday season.
- Hang the stockings with care. Keep all mantles clean and clutter free so prospects can visualize adding their own personal touches.
- Show off holiday collections. House hunters should be able to recall the fabulous finishes and floor-to-ceiling fireplace rather than Santa’s Village or an impressive nutcracker collection.
- Overdo it with seasonal scents. Although fragrances such as cinnamon and pine are reminiscent of the holidays, using seasonal air fresheners can backfire if prospective buyers have allergies or sensitivities.
