REAL ESTATE TIPS: Decorating at the holidays: how much is too much?

From Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas, the decorations are out.

I love decorations! Everyone has their own style.

Some people decorate their home like they see in a magazine.

Others, like me, are more sentimental in their decorations. My sons’ teachers will appreciate knowing that all of their hard work teaching their elementary students how to make decorations to send home to proud parents are lovingly displayed at the Ryder house each year.

The festive atmosphere this time of year is contagious! We’ve all driven by homes in the fall where it looks like Halloween threw up. Or homes at Christmas time where the number of lights and ornaments would make Clark Griswold jealous. The ironic thing is that I love the houses that have enough Christmas lights to light up an entire neighborhood. And just like many of you, I load my kids up in the car to drive around to these places.

But how much is too much?

When you are not selling your house, I think that it is safe to say that there is no such thing as too much. But when your house is on the market, do you want them to see your house or your decorations? At the end of the day, when they are reviewing homes they just saw with their realtor, do you want them to refer to you as “The Halloween House” or “The Christmas House,” or the house with the lovely view or cozy fireplace?

There is a season for everything, which is why decorating is so fun – it represents just a snapshot of our year that we all enjoy and where memories are made. But your buyers are thinking about what it will be like to live in your house all year round. That is what you want them to remember.

So, definitely decorate. But remember these two tips:
1.) Don’t put out your breakable or sentimental decorations that you don’t want broken;
2.) Decorate your home more like a garnish to a Thanksgiving meal and not like a side dish.

OK, I know that was a really tacky way to say it but the idea is that while you are selling your house, less is more.

Over the next few weeks, we will all be doing a lot of holiday celebrating. May your holidays be safe and enjoyable!

Esta Ryder, Broker/Owner
President’s Club
Ryder Realty, LLC
estaryder@gmail.com
330-317-6912