Neighborhoods all across middle Tennessee are ablaze with holiday light displays, festooned with poinsettias and decked with decorated pine trees. However, if your house is on the market perhaps “ablaze” and “festooned” might not be adjectives you want potential home buyers to use to describe your property. You want people to feel comfortable and energized, complacent and eager, willing to move and at home all at the same time. This is actually not as hard as it seems.

Studies show a mix of Christmas music and Christmas scents, such as pine or fresh baked goods, actually “has been shown to boost people’s attitudes in retail stores and increase their likelihood of wanting to visit them.” If that works for a store, imagine how well it would work for a potential home.

Adding touches of the traditional red Christmas décor is also a good move. The warm color palettes, primarily red, are colors that make people feel energized. A subconscious feeling of excitement is a fantastic thing in a potential buyer. Don’t go overboard on the decorations though. A good rule of thumb is for every decoration you put out, put one thing away. This alleviates clutter, which stresses the eyes and distracts from the home’s true potential. “If it is ‘cute,’ it stays packed,” says Joanne O’Donnell, president and CEO of Chic Home Interiors. Not everyone agrees on “cute” and the snowman made of seven year old macaroni might not be as appealing as you think it is.

The holidays provide an opportunity to decorate the outside of the home during a time of year that generally proves difficult to showcase curb appeal. Evergreen wreaths, poinsettias, and bows offer color and definition that is lacking when your natural greenery is slumbering. Battery operated candles in the windows immediately define the natural light sources and provide a welcoming look. But remember, too many lights outside can overwhelm a buyer at night, as well as provide unsightly tangles of wires, extension cords and timers if they drive past during the day.

This time of year is about family, friends, and home. If someone is coming into your house during these months to view it you have the perfect opportunity to show them just how loving and welcoming this house truly was. Remember all the reasons you stayed as long as you did, and pass those along to the potential buyers with heartfelt touches and holiday cheer. That feeling when you first walk in the door of a new home can’t be packaged… but maybe it can be bought. Make an offer!

Posted by:  Jennifer McClarney

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