Did you know that the  Christmas period is actually a really good  time to sell your house?!

Boxing Day marks the start of the 2023 home-buying season. Known as “The Boxing Day Surge”, every Christmas Rightmove report more and more people browsing properties during the post-Christmas Day festive period. In fact, last Boxing Day, visits in 2021 were 54% higher than the previous year. There were also more than 51 million visits to Rightmove between Boxing Day and the first working day of the new year, so it’s a hugely valuable time if you want to make sure your home is going to be seen by lots of potential buyers.

On average people spend  7 seconds viewing property on- line, therefore how your property is presented is key! Your images have to show case your property at it's best, make yours stand out! Make sure your professional external and internal photos are taken BEFORE the decorations go up, no-one wants to see photos of Christmas trees in January!

However for viewings taking place in person over the festive period we have are sharing our top 5 tips to staging your house to sell at Christmas making sure it stands out for the right reasons.

1.KERB APPEAL

First impressions are everything and making your property attractive to buyers during the festivities is simple. Adding a nice wreath to your door or some subtle outside lighting will create the image of a well maintained attractive property. Try to steer away from personal tastes (as with staging all year round) such as large inflatables or loud flashing multi coloured lights. It is important that your property looks dressed for the season but to appeal to a wider audience of perspective buyers. With such a wide range of wreaths and decor ideas available on place like Pinterest, there is something for every property be it traditional, modern, rustic or contemporary.

2.SEASONAL SCENTS

How a property smells is one of the first things we notice when we walk into a home, and it's ideal for setting a mood. Not only that, but the scents that we associate with this time of year can really help us feel like Christmas is on the way and help your potential buyer see themselves celebrating their own festivities this time next year.

Both candles and diffusers can work well together, with diffusers releasing scent all day long - ideal for when your busy and get a viewing at the last minute. Diffusers also work really in rooms you can't monitor as easily such as bathrooms and hallways - think candle safety! However if you do have more time to prepare for your viewing lighting a few candles can not only make you property smell great but add a cosy ambience with their flickering flames. Create fabulous arrangements by placing candles on shelves or in a fireplace, either grouped together or dotted along a table or mantlepiece, they can really add that extra seasonal sparkle. Do check the burn time on your candles as it is not worth investing in a candle that only last a couple of hours.

If you have a real Christmas tree you can use your tree trimmings to make your living room smell like Christmas trees and joy! Take some trimmings from your tree after you put it up, and dry out the branches somewhere warm and dry. Once they’re dried, the needles should be easy to strip from the branch, although you may want to use gloves for this part. Now just pop it in a small drawstring bag and hang it wherever you need it! If you opt for a faux tree which are lot more low key on maintenance (less hoovering and no watering) you can create that lovely fresh pine smell by popping a few scent sticks in your tree.

A bowl of potpourri can also smell amazing when placed around your home and as with a reed diffuser release an all day aroma and can be easily refreshed by adding a few drops of a carrier oil such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pine needle or orange. Potpourri is available to buy at lots of stores but you could also try your own DIY scent with oranges, pinecones, roses, eucalyptus,  anise stars, and cinnamon sticks - check out Pinterest for lots of step by step ideas.

3. COSY SOFT FURNISHINGS

A top winter staging tip well worth considering is to add some cosy soft furnishings around the place. Think thick warm rugs, cosy cushions & throws along with sheepskin rugs used to dress chairs, dining benches etc.Play around with layering different textures of faux fur, velvet and thick knitted cushions for an instant update to your furniture, creating an aspect of warmth to the home and will also make it appear more welcoming. 

Sofas and chairs can be transformed with simple cost effective updates and don't forget updating your bedding either. don't forget to go neutral or match your existing decor and remember all these items can be brought out next year in your new home next Christmas!

4. LIGHT YOUR FIRE

Put yourself in the shoes of the viewer for a second then you will see that a classy fire can really make a big difference to their first impressions of the property. If it is a chilly evening when they visit, then their day will be brightened up considerably by entering a warm and welcoming room which feels good to be in. Apart from the heat they generate, one of the great things about the best fires around is that they also instantly provide a beautiful centre piece to any room. A beautiful fire and fireplace can create a wow factor when selling a home.  

If you have an open fire or log burner try and always make sure it is lit for viewings, if this is not possible make sure it is cleaned out and prepped with wood or fuel. Where you have a gas or electric fire make sure it's turned on. Style your mantle or surround with beautiful garlands and candles.

5. COLOUR AND CLUTTER

When it comes to decorating your house for selling, you don’t need to always stick to the traditional Christmas colours. Try out different shades to achieve a neutral and elegant look that will complement your home’s colour scheme. If you are time-poor or confused about what colours to choose, you can always go with silver, gold or white colour tones which can complement almost any kind of home interiors. It is also a good idea to have consistency in the colours you use in all the connecting rooms. 

Create simple colour co-ordinated arrangements to display in each room, to tie the "look" together, try pinecones or lights in glass vases paired with candles on a tray. You can then place your arrangements on coffee tables, dining table, kitchen counters, bedside tables... if your stuck for ideas have a look at Pinterest for inspiration! 

Grouping your Christmas ornaments will also make your space feel a lot less cluttered.As always when staging your home to sell make sure clutter is cleared away for viewings, we tend to have more "stuff" around generally at Christmas such as wrapping, extra food, gifts etc..A good idea is to make sure these thing are organised and easily stored away. Keeping your home clean during the winter is also an extra hassle, wet muddy foot prints and extra decorations seem to attract the dust, so be sure to keep on top of your cleaning routine.

If all of this sounds to overwhelming, get in touch for a free consultation we'd love to help.