So you’ve moved out but you’ve chosen to keep your home on the market through the holidays.   A vacant house can be difficult to sell because its true potential isn’t realized without the right furniture and accessories.   And over the holidays, it can be even more difficult if possible buyers first impression isn’t “warm and inviting.”

Try this as your house selling strategy. 

First things first – furnish your vacant home. It will make it feel warm and inviting.  Buyers will visualize what their furniture looks like in your home – this is a good thing! It means they are thinking that this could be their home!  (If you need to rent furniture to achieve this, Accentuate has an extensive rental inventory of furniture and home accessories which we would be happy to share with you)

Through the holidays, breathe some life into a sterile space by staging neutrally, yet “festively” in the living room, dining room, guest bathroom (or main bathroom) and kitchen.

Kitchen: A simple bowl of apples or mandarin oranges tied with a pretty ribbons will do the trick! Perhaps even put out a plate of shortbread cookies! 

Bathroom: Burn a spicy, cinnamon and clove candle to create atmosphere. Aveda has a great holiday candle that smells like vanilla, cloves and cinnamon.   

Living Room: A festive coloured throw to curl up by the fireplace and a bowl or vase full of sparkling ornaments will definitely make any buyer feel at home. 

Dining Room:  Now is the time to set your table for guests…..”buying” guests that is!  Complete your table setting with a festive runner, candlesticks, ornaments, fresh twigs or pine boughs and you have a winner.   Let the buyers imagine themselves entertaining in their new home.  There’s no better time to set that mood than the Holidays.

My top holiday decorating tip – Have fun, but don’t overdo it.  Decorate minimally with just enough holiday pizzazz  to make that buyer feel warm and cozy.  

And one last thing…….pack up  those decorations by the New Year.  Let the buyer know that you’re on top of it.