The holidays are here and there’s nothing better than a potential Buyer coming into their next potential Ventura County home to a warm fire, sparkling lights, flickering candles and your collection of 500 hand painted nutcrackers. Did you just hear the needle scratch across an old record? When your home is for sale, your house is now a product that should be marked towards buyers. Here are a few things to take into consideration when you are tempted to pull out those 500 nutcrackers.

1) Don’t Over Do-It! Whether you collect nutcrackers, tree ornaments, or Menorahs the number one rule to follow when decorating while your house is for sale is Don’t Over Do-It! You can still decorate with your tree and maybe place a few key garlands tastefully draped over the fireplace mantle. What you really should not do is bring out every little piece that you have ever collected. Yes, it might mean “home for the holidays” to you, but to a potential Buyer seeing all of this it will be very distracting and can actually be very off putting and intrusive feeling for Buyers who enter a home decorated to the nines for the holidays. Remember, not everyone celebrates the same holidays you do.

2) DON’T unpack just to repack all over again. It’s a tradition: unpacking each delicate piece, placing them in just the right spot, re-wrapping them all over again after each holiday. Again, you are selling your home. Do you really want to have to ADD to your packing responsibilities if you suddenly open escrow after you just unpacked all your collectibles? A good rule to follow is to select your favorite 3-5 items per room and leave it at that.

3) Halloween is for the kids, a child will not be buying your house. Halloween is just around the corner, if you’re selling your Ventura County house refrain from going all out with the Halloween décor. Keep it simple and take it ALL down the very next day.

4) Marketing Photography: If you are thinking of listing your Ventura County home, or in the process of preparing your home in the next few weeks then you need to partner with your Realtor. Ask your Realtor when they are planning to take pictures of the home for their marketing and do not, under any circumstances; decorate your home for the holidays until AFTER the pictures have been taken. If, for any reason your home does not sell quickly, there will be nothing worse than seeing pictures of your living room in February still featuring a beautiful holiday tree.

These tips are not meant to sterilize your home for the holidays. You are still living in it, but you need to consider how BUYERS will react to your tastes, your homes marketing and making them feel comfortable in THEIR future home. Happy Selling!