With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, buyers are looking for a home where they can entertain, and finally have their family and friends gathered together for the holidays.
Just about every showing I have had in the past month, both taking my own clients to look at homes as well as showing my listings to agents, has had a discussion on how great the home would be for the holidays (or how the home doesn’t work). How they can see all their family and friends gathering in the home for Thanksgiving and where would they put the Christmas tree.
The saying Your Home is Your Castle has never been more meaningful than it is right now. After spending the holidays alone or with just your immediate family, everyone is so excited for the holidays this year and being able to have all the family together again.
I was showing a home to a client yesterday and she absolutely loved it, not just because it was a stunning home, but because of how she could picture her family there. She could see all her family gathering in the family room for Christmas, the kitchen was big enough for her family to help her prepare the Thanksgiving dinner, and her 12 grandchildren would love the amazing backyard. I could literally see her eyes light up and she was getting so excited at just the thought of all her family sharing the holidays together again in that beautiful home.
Another client was downsizing and purchasing a smaller 1,400 square-foot townhouse. We chatted about how she has always been the host for Thanksgiving and that is what she loved the most about this house. She had plenty of room to put a couple of tables together and extend the dining into the family room. She was so happy that she had found a smaller home that still had the room for her to continue hosting Thanksgiving with her family.
I have to tell you; I absolutely love my job for so many reasons but when I see the joy on my clients faces, the joy I feel — it’s priceless.
BUYERS — GO WITH THE FLOW
When you are searching for a home remember it is not just the size that counts, it’s also the layout. You can have a 3,000 square-foot home that feels smaller than a 2,500 square-foot home and vice versa. It all depends on how the builder utilized the space, how chopped up the home is, and how the home flows.
SELLERS — ‘TIS THE SEASON
If you plan to sell your home in the next couple of months, take the time to stage your home, and with the holidays upon us add some holiday decorations. When a buyer enters a home, they can get a feel of the house right away. If your home is cluttered or cold and empty, that is what they see. But if the home is inviting with tasteful holiday cheer, the buyer feels the warmth and will love it. They can imagine their family living there, and holiday gatherings with family and friends.
When a buyer can see themselves living in the home, it’s about emotions and dreams. This becomes a much stronger buyer who is willing to do whatever it takes (within reason) to seal the deal.
Decluttering is also huge and I’m not just referring to pictures and knickknacks. It also means furniture. Your Realtor should be able to help you with staging your home. I walk through the home with my clients on the first meeting. We go through each room and discuss how we can rearrange the furniture or remove some pieces and stage the home. Some homes need full staging, others just a few little tweaks.
If you are wondering if decluttering and staging is needed in a sellers’ market where houses fly off the shelf in a few days, the answer is yes. Sure, you can sell your home in this market fast, but my goal is not only to sell your home fast but sell it for the highest price with the best terms, and to the perfect buyer who will close the deal (we are seeing a higher number of homes coming back on the market).
With staging and holiday décor, your home is transformed from a beautiful looking house in the pictures to a warm and welcoming house that feels like home as soon as they enter. You want the buyer to fall in love with your home; more showings and more buyers equals more offers.
MY ADVICE
Buyers, be a little flexible when it comes to searching for homes. Sellers, make sure you’re selling a home, not a house.
Lorraine is a Multi-Million Dollar producing agent, has been a full-time Realtor for over 13 years, is an Associate Broker of KOR Properties, a Certified Negotiation Specialist, and is on the Professional Standards Board. You can reach Lorraine at (602) 571-6799. Visit Homes2SellAZ.com and Instagram/LorraineRyall.
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