Selling a Home During the Holidays

Ask a REALTOR

Carefully trimmed trees; warm, inviting lights; and cheerful holiday decorations. You may feel like your house never looks better and more welcoming than it does this time of year. But does that mean that the holidays are a good time to show and sell a house? We asked our agents for their insights, and this is what they had to say.

Amy West

The decision is up to the seller whether to have the home viewed over the holidays. The plus side is that determined, serious buyers will continue looking during the holidays. The downside is that you may need a little time away from viewings to spend with family. It’s important to have a conversation with your agent to determine the best strategy for you.

Debra Mangum

I always tell Sellers that I sold my personal house during the holidays -- so there ARE Buyers that need to purchase a house during this busy season! It would be great to be able to have photography taken before all the decorating takes place and maybe streamline your decorating to a "less is more" mentality. But you will need to stay flexible and allow as many showings as requested. There will always be times that you may need to block showings and that can be done - but it's important to keep that to a minimum!

Terri Reynolds

You can show your house during the holidays because it can show beautifully during that time. The downside is how much of a disturbance it will be for the owners, so it really depends on the sellers’ situation.

Brooke Tart

This is really situational. It can be difficult to show your house during the holidays if you plan to host family from out of town and with children out of school. On the other side of that, though, if you are going out of town and your house is empty, it makes for an easy show! Holiday decorations can make a home feel inviting and can be a really attractive time to put your home on the market. Talk to your REALTOR about your specific situation to figure out what's best!

Jeanette Hussey

There are fewer homes on the market because of the holidays, so a seller has less competition. You can also be fairly sure that anyone looking during the holidays is a really serious buyer.

How to ask us a question

Our agents will be answering your questions every month through the Ask a REALTOR® series. If you have a real estate question that you want answered, we’d love to hear from you at marketing@westandwoodall.com.