Maybe we should take our home off the market during the holiday season. Nobody buys houses during the holidays Thanksgiving, Kwanza, Hanukah, Christmas, and New Years. Maybe you dont but sales can and do take place at this time. Life events take place every day one of them could be the sale of your home.

Seller Tips:

Holiday buyers are serious, usually ready now to buy and close. You must not let your guard down. Be ready for a buyer every day, expect the appointment call for a showing, we all know the calls come when you are not ready.

These buyers maybe transfers or job related and knowing they want to be able to get the kids into school right after the break not missing any time. Be ready to close quickly and move on.

Honor your beliefs, but remember we are selling to Mr. & Mrs. Everyone decorate home but dont cover up your home so that the buyer cant see themselves in it.

Work with your agent or better yet keep them on the ball dont let your agent get lazy. Ask questions about your advertising; invite him or her over to critique your home as a potential buyer.

Keep safe, there are others who are not buyers who use your for sale sign as an excuse to be in your home this time of year. Put gifts away dont leave expensive items lying about.

If you have family visiting overnight or for an extended time please have your agent stop showings until they leave. Its nearly impossible to keep your home looking just right with 6 or 8 guests in the background.

Make your home accessible, clear the snow and ice completely and check it all day, keep decorations away from the doors and have plenty of space on the porch. Make sure buyers can walk around with out knocking things over. They may be so concerned about being careful that they never see your home.

Have a great holiday season and be ready to make your sale.

Bill Carey

Real Estate Broker, Investor and Home Builder with his wife Karen make their home in Charlotte North Carolina. With over 30 years in real estate Bill has a unique perspective on the real estate business having personally bought and sold homes in the various northeast, midwest and southern states. Bill is a licensed Real Estate Broker in North and South Carolina working with home buyers and homeowners in the Charlotte, NC region. As a home builder and project manager he over saw construction of executive style single family homes to multi story multi family projects. His first investment along with a partner in 1975 was a small 2 bedroom 1 bath single family home renovated into a 4 bedroom 2 bath student rental, 2 years later sold at a nice profit. Bill and Karen now invest in real estate in the Carolina's resort locations along the southern beaches and mountains.