Pros & Cons Of Holiday Weekend Open Houses
Are you wondering if you should hold an open house during holiday weekend such as Thanksgiving and Christmas?
Here are some pros and cons of holding an open house during a holiday weekend.
Pros:
Before fall and lower temperatures arrive, holding an open house during the holidays can be a good idea. Serious house hunters are always eager to get a jump on the competition. Making your home available to serious buyers even if you are missing out on some of the fun could benefit you and the buyer in the long run.
During the warmer months if you have just done spring cleaning and your house is still in pretty good shape you may not need to do a lot of work for your open house. All you need to ensure is that the house looks appealing to the buyer. It is important to retouch your lawn and reorganize some of the things that may be out of place to get the buyers in the door.
During winter or lower temperatures you may have a lower pool of buyers. In addition to this most buyers are likely busy with family gatherings during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Something fun to do during holiday weekend open houses is adding bit to theme to your marketing materials. For example, having marketing to match the holiday such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. You can also add decor such as holiday themed wreath on the front door and serve cookies that match the holiday.
Cons:
The most obvious drawback to holding an open house during the holiday weekend is you’re going to be busy. For many people holidays is a good time to take a vacation or hit the beach. Since you need to sell your house, you may need to be available to prepare or help your realtor for the open house.
It is also important to keep in mind that potential buyers may also take a break during the holiday weekend. This means that you might not attract a lot of buyers during your open house. You also need to consider if your realtor may be on holiday.
Decision & Timing
There is no wrong or right answer to “Should I hold an open house during the holidays?”. It all comes down to your personal decision and timing. Holding an open house on holiday weekends certainly has its advantages. However, if it is too chaotic for you to organize, it is probably better for your peace of mind to wait until after the holiday.
Talk to your real estate agent about decorations, scheduling and staging if you are going to hold an open house during the holiday weekend. Don’t go overboard with the decorations and themes because you don’t want your buyers to become sidetracked.
Looking for more home selling tips? Learn more about the 5 important steps to consider when selling your house here.