Go Ahead and Deck the Halls: Staging to Sell During the Holidays

You may wonder if holiday decor is a distraction when selling a home during the winter season. Turns out, it’s a welcome sight for buyers. According to a 2023 Research Study by the National Association of Realtors, 81 percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. A warm, inviting, and tastefully decorated home will be just the present they want to unwrap.

Why list during the holiday season?

Real estate’s busy season is April through June, but listing in the off season has its perks. Off-season buyers tend to be more serious, so agents will have less looky loos. If a buyer has braved the cold—and maybe even snow—to view a house, they are more invested in the outcome. They might also feel a strong emotional connection when they walk in and see a beautifully decorated tree and smell freshly baked cookies (even if it’s just a scented candle!).

Listing off-season also means that there will be less inventory to compete with at every stage of the transaction, from viewing to closing. Every step will be faster as you can focus on providing great service with fewer distractions.

So, listing during the winter is a good idea. What’s next?

1. Declutter and de-personalize

Adding holiday decor on top of personal items can detract from the selling points of a property. Maybe the house has a spacious living room with a beautiful fireplace you’d like to highlight: first remove the seller’s personal photos and tchotchkes, then add in some greenery and white lights on the mantel to make it a focal point. Bonus points if there’s a nice crackling fire when showing the home. Find a tree that fits proportionately with the size of the living space and decorate with minimal ornaments and more white lights. This isn’t the time to showcase the ornaments made in elementary school, save those for the seller’s new home.

You’ll want to appeal to as many buyers as possible, so advise the seller to stick to non-religious decor and white and gold accents vs. red and green overload. 

2. Curb appeal

Ideally, you and your client will want to avoid a Griswold-esque extravaganza and opt for a more understated look. A nice wreath and white lights for the door, some poinsettias on the porch, and a lighted reindeer or two on the lawn should do the trick. As a bonus, the holidays can also be a great time to showcase the listing’s neighborhood as there is often extra cheerful lighting and decorations in the common areas as well as neighbors’ homes. 

3. Scent appeal

The holidays can evoke a strong scent memory for a lot of people: vanilla, cinnamon, and evergreen are ever-present. Why not use this to your advantage? Light scented candles or put out a bowl of pinecones and fresh cinnamon sticks to add some neutral festive decor at the same time.

4. Digital appeal

One thing you’ll want to do with absolute certainty is consider the listing’s online presence.

According to listing agents, the most important staging materials (in order) are staged photos, traditional physical staging, and videos. In today’s market, buyers typically view more houses online than they see in person, and usually view properties online before attending a showing or open house. 

That last bit is especially true during the winter months. If you’re in an area with heavy snow or ice, having a strong online presence may just sell your listing. Wouldn’t that be the icing on the cake?

 Have you ever sold (or bought!) a home during the holidays? Do you have any additional tips or best practices? Share your ideas on our Facebook page and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more seasonal articles and research.