Don't over decorate for the holidays!

Don't over decorate for the holidays!

Tis the season to decorate and make our houses really feel like a home.
But over-decorating while your home is on the market can keep it from selling.Buyers looking at houses during the holiday season are serious, and are ready to buy. You want to showcase your house as best you can to appeal to these prime buyers!
Here’s some suggestions for those of you trying to sell your home during the holidays. An nice balance between living your life as you want, and presenting your home to entice buyers is what you're looking for.
Don't forgo the decorations. The buyer wants to think they'll have happy holidays in their new home, and if you haven't decorated they may project that they'll have a sad holiday while in this house! Just remember... everything in moderation...

1. Don’t over decorate...
Your house is for sale, not the decorations. Remember that the buyers want to picture themselves in your house, not you. The fewer "personal" decorations, the better.
Go simple with some holiday basics...  a nice centerpiece on your dining table, an festive wreath on the front door, or a pot of cider simmering on the stove can create a warm and festive feeling in your home.


A bit much when trying to sell your home?!


2. Don’t hide your home’s assets...

Even during non-holiday time we stress that you should de-clutter and de-personalize your house. That holds true even more during the holidays. Too much holiday clutter can hide your home’s best qualities.
Too much clutter outside can ruin your home's curb appeal, and inside it can make your home seem smaller than it is. The buyer may actually miss some of your home's best details..
Festive but simple is the key. Don't hide your fireplace and mantle with lots of stuff. A few well-placed decorations will enhance the look of your home during the holidays instead of over powering it!

3. Don’t create a tripping hazard...
Remember that when your home is being shown there will be a small band of people walking through the house in a way that they never would while living there. Keep all the pathways open. Make sure all extension cords are safely tucked away, and Santa & Mrs. Claus are safely tucked in a corner. The last thing you need is a trip and fall during the holidays!

Call us if you need more advice while selling your home!

Don't assume you can't qualify for a mortgage!

All you hear about mortgages in the news is how hard it has become to qualify for one. How do you know if you haven't tried?? Give our new advertising partner, Norcom Mortgage, a call. They're great to work with and can let you know how much of a home you should be shopping for. 860-606-0525. Once you know your price range come back to our site to shop for a FSBO home. The sellers won't pay commission if they sell directly to you, so you maximize your shopping dollars!

Click here for a good article about mortgages.

Pricing Your Home In Today's Market

If you have been receiving many calls and showings, but no offers, it may be a sign that your house is priced too high. Of course your home is priceless to you, but try to be objective when pricing it for sale. Pay close attention to what houses like yours have sold for in the past six months, and use this as a guideline.
We recommend you price your home only $2,000 higher than what you are willing to accept as a final offer and it really works! If your home is listed at a fair price, you will generate excitement among several buyers, and create the possibility of multiple offers. If your home is overpriced even by as little as $5,000 - you may be reaching the wrong buyers. A buyer qualified to spend $280,000 for example, will most likely buy up to his/her full spending capacity. If your house is really worth $270,000, the buyers looking at your home will not “talk you down” as you may have hoped. They are looking for more of a house, and are willing to pay for it. They’ll walk away. You’ll have been wasting your time with the wrong market!
Be aware of $25,000 break points on website searches. Tuck your price just under a break point rather than just over. e.g.: $125,000 - $149,999 $150,000 - $174,999 You’ll be seen by more buyers.
Today's buyers have done their homework and know the prices the market will bear. They have seen your competition. When buyers know a house is overpriced, they’ll walk away and continue their search. They know this home is not going to sell quickly, so why not go and view a few others?! If your house is priced right you will have your competition beat and the right buyer will not be so quick to continue shopping around for fear of losing your home to the next buyer.
For Better Home Pricing...
1) We strongly recommend having an independent appraiser give you an up to date price value. This is NOT a market analysis from a real estate agent who may inflate your homes’ value to solicit your listing. It is an unbiased, accurate report on the price of your home done by a professional appraiser. The cost is generally around $300-$400.
2) Check the Town Assessors’ office for homes like yours which have sold recently. This info is available to the general public, and can also be found on realtor.com, zillow.com and other sites. If you don’t have time to do the search yourself, our office can produce a report of comparable homes currently on the market as well as those sold in the past year. Call us today if you’d like this report. We can help you compare sale prices versus town assessments to help determine your appropriate price.
3) Shop the competition. Know what other homes are selling for and how they show on the inside. Go to open houses in your neighborhood. Search Realtor.com for homes currently on the market.
Finally,remember that every house will sell if priced fairly & competitively.