The housing market doesn’t come to a standstill during the holidays. In fact, we’ve found that December is actually a great month to sell your home. Although, selling your home through the holiday season can come with a few additional things you should consider. In addition to all of the regular things you need to do to prepare your home to sell quickly, like cleaning, depersonalizing and decluttering, you will also need to consider whether or not to decorate for the holiday season.

We think that the holidays are a perfect time to showcase the warmth and character of your home to prospective buyers. We don't think that you need to avoid decorating altogether, but that you should follow some simple tips to ensure your house looks it’s best for prospective buyers.

Here are some tips for decorating for the holidays when you are preparing to sell:

Less is More

Follow the “less is more” theory when it comes to decorating this season. Too many decorations can be overwhelming and distracting. Minimizing the amount of decorations you use will make your home feel more spacious and inviting.

If your space is full of clutter and decorations, prospective buyers will have a hard time seeing past it and envisioning your home as their own.

This is true on the exterior of your home as well. Holiday decorations are a fantastic way to add curb appeal and pleasantly welcome your potential buyers. Just try to avoid embracing your inner Clark Griswold. Too many flashing lights and large ornaments might be fun and playful, but they may distract or turn off a potential buyer.

Think smaller

You need to be very thoughtful about the size of decorations you use. For each item, be honest with yourself and ask whether it helps to showcase the space or actually detracts from the room's best features.

Your overall goal is to add some festive cheer and warmth to the space without detracting from the main features of your home. This might mean that you tone down the size of your christmas tree. Large trees and decorations, while festive, may make the room look smaller. Choose an oversized tree only if you have a really large room.

Go neutral or coordinate colors

You want every room of your home to be as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. So, if your favorite holiday decorations clash with the existing colors in your room, think twice about using those decorations this year.

Consider using neutral tones and metallics, such as gold, silver, copper, white or cream. These colors compliment almost every existing decor and is a great way to add class and charm. Think about replacing any multicolored tree lights with white lights for a more neutral and elegant feel. If you are still planning to use the traditional red and green tones, try using more red than green - scientifically, red is emotionally, a more appealing color.

Don’t make it too personal

When preparing your home to sell, you need to keep in mind that buyers want to be able to walk into your home and easily envision themselves, and their belongings, in the space. This means that your holiday decorations shouldn’t be overly personal.

Keep your decorations secular to avoid putting off potential homebuyers of different religions. Avoid displaying family photos, heirlooms and kids' crafts. Stick to more generic holiday decor, and try to create an overall festive ambiance. A good trick is to simmer some apple cider on the stove or bake some holiday cookies before your showing.

In conclusion, we believe that you can still enjoy decorating this home for the holidays even when you're preparing to sell. If you strike the right balance, and follow the tips we outlined above, your home will radiate warmth and charm that will appeal to potential buyers and help them to imagine living there. Enjoy what may be your last holiday season in your home.

Happy holidays!

Thinking about selling your home? Take a look at the top 9 tips to prepare your house to sell.

1) Let it Go

Letting go of your home can be very hard, especially if you’ve lived there a long time. The house may hold many fond memories for you and your family, and it may be hard to just let it go to someone else.

In order to be objective, and ensure your house is in the best position to sell, you will need to detach from it emotionally. To do this, you need to remember that without you in it, the house is just a shell and that you will take your memories with you into your new house. Start making plans to personalize your next home, and get excited about creating new memories in your new space.

2) Depersonalize Your Home

When listing your home, you want it to appeal to as many buyers as possible. Buyers want to be able to walk into your home and easily envision themselves, and their stuff in the space. This means that you will need to depersonalize your home as much as possible.

Pack up your personal photographs, family heirlooms, and other objects that are personal to you. Walk through every room in your house and pretend you’re a Buyer. If you see something in a room that helps people get to know you as you, remove it. Buyers are able to envision themselves in a space that is impersonal and clean. They should be able to imagine the home decorated with their own photographs, furniture, and personal objects. Depersonalizing your home makes it easier for potential buyers to visualize how the home might look filled with their own items.

This also applies to furniture and decor. If your personal taste is typically bright colours, crazy patterns or unique items, you should consider removing some of your furniture and only leaving understated pieces that are not a distraction. You may also want to consider hiring a professional stager to bring in more neutral furniture and decor.

3) Declutter

As we live our lives, we tend to collect an amazing amount of stuff. Some of this stuff we may use often, or carries an emotional attachment, or we just haven’t had the time to get rid of it. When a buyer views your home, you don’t want them to be distracted by all of your clutter and miss the special features of your home.

Go through your home room by room and organize your stuff into 4 categories:

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- Keep in the house for showings

- Pack and take to the new house

- Toss in the garbage

- Donate to charity.

We like to follow the general rule that if you haven’t used something in the past year, you’re unlikely to need it in the future.

Almost every home shows better with a little less furniture. Make sure to remove any furniture that blocks paths and walkways. Consider storing brightly colored, patterned or distracting furniture, artwork, and any empty bookcases. You should only leave the bare minimum amount of furniture that will showcase the room's purpose with plenty of room for buyers to move around. You might want to consider renting a temporary storage space to hold all of the items that you don’t want in the house for showings.

Try to remember that if a buyer comes into your house and everything is uncluttered and organized down to the last detail, it shows them that you took care of your possessions and that you likely took good care of the rest of the house.

Click here for specific decluttering tips for each room in your home.

4) Cleaning

A buyer should be able to immediately envision themselves in your home. They DO NOT want to see or smell your personal habits. They DO NOT want to have to clean and scrub your leftover dirt and grime when they move in.

Depending on your house cleaning skill level, or the state of your home, you might want to consider hiring a professional cleaning crew.

Here are some cleaning tips for preparing your home to sell:

Carpets

Good quality carpet flooring can last a very long time as long as they are well maintained. When you are preparing to sell, you should have your carpets steam cleaned professionally, or do it yourself, unless they are brand new. You will be very surprised at what a difference a good cleaning makes.

Floors

You’ll need more than a Swiffer to get into all the corners and cracks. If your floors are scratched, there are some great products out there to make them look almost-brand-new.

Windows

Over the years rain, snow and construction can make your windows appear very dirty. Ensure you clean both the inside and outside of your windows before putting your home on the market. You might want to consider hiring professional window cleaners if you have a two story home, or you don’t have the time.

Walls, Doors and trim

General wear and tear will cause your walls and doors to appear scuffed or stained. Depending on the finish of your walls, one of the best ways to clean scuffs is to buy some Magic Erasers and scrub down the affected areas. It works amazingly well and you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. Make sure to test it in a small and inconspicuous area first, to ensure you won't damage the paint finish.

For heavily marked areas, or areas where the paint is chipping or peeling, make sure to sand and clean the area and then touch up with some paint.

A smell-free zone

A potential buyer doesn’t want to be greeted by the smell of your personal habits when they walk through the door. Ideally your home shouldn’t have a smell at all, or it should smell of something neutral and inviting. Over time, homeowners can get used to strong odors in their own homes. Invite a friend who will do an honest smell test of each room of your home and then get to work on deodorizing the problem areas.

If you’re a dog owner, wash any couches, beds and surfaces where the dogs sleep. You may not smell your pet anymore but buyers will. Put the litter box in a less visible area and make sure to clean it twice a day while your home is on the market.

Consider using a product like febreeze on all of the fabric surfaces in your home. Lighting some candles before your showing is also a good idea, but make sure to avoid strong scents. The night before a showing, avoid cooking particularly odorous foods such as fish, garlic or cabbage. These smells can linger the day after.

5) Remove or Replace Favorite Items

Anything that is permanently affixed to the home is included in the sale unless you specifically state that it is not included. If you plan on taking anything that is attached to the home such as window coverings, built-in appliances, or fixtures with you, make sure to remove them prior to showing the house. It’s better that the buyer never sees the items you want to keep so that it doesn't hurt or complicate the sale.

6) Make Minor Repairs

Depending on the market, and the state of your home, it may be wise to invest in some minor repairs around your home before putting it on the market.

We all have that list of repairs in our home that we have been putting off. Preparing your home to sell is the time to get to work and check off all the items off that list. If you aren’t handy yourself, bring in a handyman to take care of it (we know some good ones, we can help).

Paint

Paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to revitalize your home. Many buyers are turned off by homes painted in bold colours. To appeal to the most buyers as possible, take the time to re-paint any brightly coloured rooms with more neutral tones. Try to remember that light colours will help small rooms look larger. If you remove any art or fixtures from the walls or ceilings, ensure that you patch and paint the walls and don’t leave any nail holes or scratches. You should also pay special attention to your baseboards and ceilings, it's amazing what a coat of paint can do.

Light Fixtures

While showing your home, you want it to be as bright as possible. Lighting can make a huge difference in how a home looks to Buyers. If you have old and dated light fixtures, take a quick trip to your local hardware store and pick up some inexpensive, modern ones.

Walk through each room of your home and replace any burned-out light bulbs. You should also consider replacing bulbs that haven’t been used for a while. You want to avoid the potential of having a bulb blow out when a buyer flips on the light switch during a showing. You want the buyer's experience to be as positive as possible.

Plumbing fixtures

Test each of the faucets in your home. Ensure that they are free of leaks, and are running smoothly without excessive calcium deposits blocking the flow. If you have any leaky or poorly functioning plumbing fixtures, you should replace them prior to any showings.

Make sure all of your toilets are running normally, and are spotless inside and out.

7) Staging

Once your home is repaired, clean and fully decluttered you might be ready to consider hiring a professional Stager. Professional home staging has been proven to help homes sell faster and for more money. They will move, re-arrange and add furniture and accessories to make your home look it’s best.

8) Photography

If we know one thing, it's that professional photography is incredibly important. That’s why at Tait Real Estate we always include professional real estate listing photography in our services. Once your home is in tip-top shape, you are ready to have your listing photos appointment. Make sure to photograph your home when the light is at its best, it makes a big difference in the photos.

9) Logistics

Now that your home is in its best possible condition, you need to try to keep it that way for the entire time it's on the market. Make a plan for how you are going to maintain the condition of your home on a daily basis, and share that plan with the entire family.

Plan ahead for how you're going to manage open houses and showings. Where are you and the rest of your family going to go while your home is being viewed. Remember that you might get a showing request in the middle of the day, so your home should be ready whenever you leave in the morning.

If you have kids or pets, consider purchasing some attractive and inexpensive baskets with lids so that you can shove all of their toys and gear into them before every showing.

Also remember that most Buyers won’t appreciate having your pet present while viewing your home. Make a plan to get your pets out of the house whether it's at Doggie daycare or with friends or family.

What do the best real estate agents in Saskatoon do to help sell your home?

The best real estate agents in Saskatoon have to be jack of all trades. By using their experience as full time, real estate professionals, they are able to guide you to make the best real estate decisions. They will help you confidently prepare your home for sale, set a price, create a marketing strategy and negotiate with buyers. 

Here are the top 6 things the best real estate agents in Saskatoon will do to help sell your home:

1. Knowledge, Insights & Guidance
2. Expertise on Saskatoon & area market pricing
3. Creative marketing plans
4. Excellent communication skills
5. Negotiating the best deal
6. Making the whole process comfortable and easy

1) Knowledge, Insights & Guidance

When you’re selling your home in Saskatoon, the first step will be to meet with your real estate agent to discuss your property. During this meeting, your agent will tour your home to understand the special features that will help or hinder the sales process.

It's all in the details

The best real estate agents in Saskatoon are experts on the details that buyers look for in a home. Over the years, you may have grown accustomed to some of the eccentricities of your home without realizing that a few simple improvements could drastically increase the marketability of your property. Sometimes it's as simple as a fresh paint job, removing excess furniture and clutter, or removing carpet to reveal hardwood floors. A top agent might even suggest larger improvements -- like renovating a kitchen or bathroom -- that will considerably raise the value of the home.

At Tait Real Estate, both Jamie Tait and Ross Tait have extensive knowledge in home construction and home renovations in the Saskatoon Area. In addition to being a REALTOR, Jamie Tait is a certified Red Seal Journeyman Carpenter. He graduated from SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) and started his career in residential and commercial construction before getting his Real Estate License. 

Ross Tait has over 25 years of experience in general contracting and home renovations and has a keen eye for detail. They are both able to confidently evaluate your home and suggest any improvements that could potentially increase the marketability of your property. 

2. Pricing Your Home Correctly.


Understanding how to price a home is one of a real estate agent’s most valuable skills. The best Real Estate agents in Saskatoon will price your home using their training, understanding of the Saskatoon market and comparable sales in the area. The best agents in Saskatoon should have a reputation for pricing homes accurately and not just telling you what you want to hear so that they can get your listing. 

Once Jamie or Ross have toured your property in Saskatoon, they will prepare a comprehensive CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) report, which is an examination of the prices that similar or comparable properties in the same area recently sold for. 

As a seller, you should be aware that pricing a home too high can cause major issues in the sale. Buyers may avoid it, and if they avoid the home long enough, it could develop a bad reputation. Eventually, you could be forced to drop the price to be competitive in the marketplace. Ultimately you may end up selling the house for less than what you would have if you had priced it correctly to begin with. 

3. Marketing The Heck Out of Your Home.


The best real estate agents in Saskatoon are also experienced marketers. A top real estate agent knows how crucial the marketing step is to selling your home. 

Licensed real estate agents are able to post listings to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a national database of homes for sale. This database is searchable by other real estate agents and by the public at Realtor.ca. The top Realtors in Saskatoon know what to include in these listings to make them the most attractive to potential buyers. 

A picture is worth a thousand words.

At Tait Real Estate, the marketing process starts with taking great pictures of your property, and hiring a professional photographer if necessary. Jamie Tait and Ross Tait understand that photographs of your property are one of the essential elements in selling your home. Your photos are the first impression home buyers will have of your home, and if your pictures aren’t up to par, you could lose out on a significant amount of interested buyers.

The MLS isn’t enough.

The best real estate agents in Saskatoon are well versed on how to get the word out using all available marketing channels, not just the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). 

Jamie Tait and Ross Tait will ensure your property is marketed on multiple marketing channels including their website  www.taitrealestate.ca, which draws high traffic and showcases all of their properties for sale. They will also profile your property using social media, including Facebook, Instagram and other platforms, to help spread the word. 

Jamie and Ross have also carefully developed relationships with an extensive network of buyer's agents in Saskatoon and surrounding area. More than 50 percent of home sales are cooperative sales, where a seller's agent works with a buyer's agent.

 
4. Communication is key.


As a seller, you have the right to know what is going on with the sale of your home. A top agent will make sure they are keeping in touch and letting you know of any updates in the market. 

At Tait Real Estate, Jamie and Ross ensure that they regularly update clients on the feedback from showings and on anything else that may concern them. 

Keeping you calm when the pressure's on

Not every sale goes smoothly—sometimes there are bumps in the road. The best real estate agents will try to shield their clients from the high drama unless there's a reason to fill them in. Top agents don't just sell your house. They can also act as a confidant and counselor, making your sale much less stressful.

Jamie Tait and Ross Tait understand that selling your home in Saskatoon can be an emotional journey. They approach the selling process as problem-solvers and always keep a positive approach and come up with proactive solutions.
Once there are prospective buyers, Jamie and Ross will arrange all of the showings and open houses. They will help you to make sure that your house is ready for each showing.

5.  Negotiating like a pro.


The best agents in Saskatoon will go out of their way to fight hard for the best price, terms and conditions for your home. A great Real Estate agent will always have your best interest in mind, and will advocate for the best possible terms for the transaction. Everything in Real Estate contracts is negotiable, and top agents won’t hesitate to counteroffer with a price, or terms, that are more favorable to you. 

Jamie Tait and Ross Tait are both skilled and experienced negotiators. They will do what is necessary to get the job done right. They will take the time to understand the real value of each element of the sale for you specifically and they will push to get you everything you deserve, every time.

6. Closing with ease.


Selling a home can be very stressful, but when you have a top shelf agent in your corner who is taking care of the little details, the process is much easier. As the closing draws near, your agent will need to take care of all the loose ends for the sale of your home including, coordinating with your mortgage advisor, lawyer etc… Your real estate agent will ensure the closing process is as seamless as possible, and help you avoid all of the paperwork headaches. 

Final Thoughts

You can be confident that Tait Real Estate will deliver exceptional value when selling your home every time. As two of the best real estate agents in Saskatoon, they value honesty above all else and always put YOUR needs before their own. They always act professionally as they know they are representing you to everyone they encounter in the home sale journey.

Contact Tait Real Estate for a free market evaluation of your home. 

Jamie Tait

306-203-0004

jtait@realtyexecutives.com

Ross Tait

306-230-2336

rtait@realtyexecutives.com