Creating a festive atmosphere for viewings in December can evoke the ambience that helps your property to sell in winter, even when it’s cold and wet outside. Christmas offers an excuse to assault buyers’ senses with a festive haven that will have them falling in love with your property but what do you need to consider?
Use Seasonal Decorations Sensibly
Before you go leaping into the loft to retrieve the boxes of decorations you haul out annually remember that this year you are staging your property for sale. That might mean toning down your usual decorating habits. Singing Santas and rude reindeers might not go down as well as they usually do, while your outside light show might be a huge draw for locals but the worst nightmare for prospective buyers. Aim for a balance between tasteful and jolly.
Twinkling fairy lights in the garden and beautiful wreaths hanging on the front door can help set an expectation for the festive experience that lies inside and won’t break the bank. Inside less is more and now may be a good opportunity to review your Christmas decorations collection – particularly as you will soon be moving.
Make It Cosy And Inviting
One of your main aims is to make your property feel cosy and inviting so that buyers can imagine themselves snuggled up with a Christmas cocktail or two or sitting around the table for Christmas lunch. Don’t be afraid to nudge them towards this idea. Light a fire, set a Christmas party-themed table or offer them a mince pie, mulled wine or hot chocolate when they come in from the cold.
Keep Your Home Clean And Tidy
Christmas is a busy period of parties and preparation and it’s natural that housework can get a little neglected while Christmas meet-ups can also mean a house that is a little more chaotic than normal.
Decorations may also make your property feel cluttered, especially with the extra Christmas food and gifts that you may have stored around the house. As always clear the clutter and tidy up before every viewing.
Appeal To The Senses With Christmas Nostalgia
Appealing to the senses of buyers is important for any viewing but at Christmas you have the added opportunity of tapping into evocative and nostalgic Christmas scents that warm hearts. That mince pie warming in the oven or the mulled wine gently simmering on the stove will prompt memories of Christmases past for buyers, for example.
Similarly, Christmas-scented candles will do a similar job, along with a flattering light that will make buyers feel immediately at home. Add in a little (soft) festive music or a much-loved Christmas film with the volume low on the TV and you will have created a festive atmosphere for December viewings that pretty much covers all the senses.
Proctors is an independent network of individual estate agent businesses with branches in Beckenham, Bromley, Park Langley, Petts Wood, Shirley and West Wickham. We’ve been buying, selling and letting in these areas since 1946 which means we’ve seen a far few Christmases! Get in touch to find out how we can help you.