Should you decorate your home while attempting to sell it this Holiday Season?

Well that can be a very tricky question. I will try to make it as simple as possible for you. The answer is basically the same as any other time of the year. The answer, quite frankly, depends on what type of decoration you choose. I would say that the rule is: “Less is More”. The other thing to be realistic about is to consider what is the “quality” of the decorations you possess. Are they outdated? Or do they still sparkle and bring a special feel and excitement to the room?

If you are skilled in home decor and TRULY have some lovely things to set about go ahead and decorate. The problem is that one’s man’s treasure is another man’s junk. What may be appealing to us, may turn someone else away and may not showcase your home in its best light. If things become too “cluttery” you’ll find that the prospects are looking at your nicknacks and not your home. Also when there is too much clutter it tends to make the house feel smaller. A tree that is taking up valuable square footage in the living room may just be that one thing that makes the buyer “feel” the house is too small.

What do professional home stagers advise? Maureen Henry of Rockland Home Staging comments “I usually tell clients to decorate late, the week before the Holiday and take the decorations down immediately after.”

The bottom line is this: The way you live in a house and the way you sell a house are two very different things. To be on the safe side, I would keep decor to a minimum. It is not every year that you will be selling your home. In these days of bulging inventory, I feel you must do every single thing possible to showcase and stage your home properly. If you absolutely must decorate for Christmas, call in a staging expert for a unbiased second opinion. I found a great forum on this topic over at Southern Living.

Happy Holidays Everyone.

Angela Chan