December 2018
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December 2018 |
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You can still be festive. These tips will help you celebrate without alienating would-be buyers. Remember, less is more! Selling your home through the holiday season can certainly come with a few challenges. Chilly, wet weather and falling leaves in November and December might mean more raking and shoveling to keep your home pristine. However, the damp weather and dark skies do not have to squelch your holiday spirit. In fact, the holidays are a perfect time to showcase the warmth and character of your home to prospective buyers. If you have already got the basics of staging under control, meaning you have pared down, freshened up and added a splash of color, you are ready to follow these seven dos to create an appropriately festive home for sale.  1. Do choose appropriately sized holiday decorations. Be thoughtful about the size of decorations you use. A good question to ask yourself is whether the piece helps to positively showcase the space, light and charm of the room. Or does its large size detract from the best features? Your goal is to be festive while honoring the value of your home.  For example, displaying a large multipiece holiday installation might be a family tradition for your living room, but doing so will not highlight the value and space of that room. Perhaps find a new home for this piece on the front porch, or display only a smaller portion of the installation on a table.  Similarly, you might have to trade in that huge fresh evergreen tree that you look forward to every year for a slightly smaller version. Large trees and decorations, while festive, may make the room look smaller. Choose an oversized tree only if you have a really large room.  2. Do mind the light. Be sure your holiday decorating efforts do not block any natural light from windows and doors. Though this may be a common sense tip, it may not be as easy to adhere to as you would think, since windows are one of the most common places to place holiday decor. Just think of what you see when driving through your neighborhood during the holidays: Many residents affix decorations directly to the windows, place large, brightly lighted trees directly in front of them or install candles or figurines on the windowsill. We just love to showcase our holiday spirit to the world.  For the selling season, try placing your holiday pride far from the window. You might put decor outside your front door or, if inside, in an unobtrusive corner. If you absolutely must locate decor near a window, then place it far enough away that the natural light still flows in. Otherwise, by reducing the natural light, you will detract from the value of the room.  3. Do coordinate with the colors of the room. Maintaining a color-coordinated design scheme matters, even when all you want to do is deck the halls in red and green. Remember, every room of your home should be as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. So, if your favorite holiday decorations clash with the colors in your room, think twice about using those specific pieces. Fortunately, there are tons of creative ways to add holiday accents without throwing off your palette.  Metallics are one nonintrusive way to add a little festive holiday flair. Gold, silver or copper holiday accents pair well with almost any color scheme. White is also a peaceful, festive, yet still neutral accent color for almost any holiday decorating effort. Try replacing multicolored tree lights with sparkling white lights to give your room a more elegant feel.  4. Do keep movements and sounds to a minimum. Moving parts, loud noises and even festive music will be a distraction for potential buyers. So please do not welcome buyers with a singing toy soldier or dancing snowman. But if you must have those items on your mantel, then be sure to turn them off during showings. The same goes for flashing lights. Opt for simple white static lights that cast a beautiful glow, creating a neutral holiday feeling for many buyers.  5. Do decorate to showcase your homes architectural features. Holiday decorating can give you a brilliant opportunity to highlight your homes most attractive architectural features. For example, you might wrap a tasteful garland around a beautiful curved staircase. You can showcase your fireplace with accents such as knitted stockings or a strand of lights.  Be mindful not to cover up any valuable structural details such as a beautiful wood floor or crown molding. Remember, less is more when staging, even when decorating for the holidays.  6. Do use exterior holiday decorations to add curb appeal. Holiday decorations are a fantastic way to spruce up the exterior of your home and add some color. Wreaths, thoughtfully lighted shrubs and the occasional ribbon or bow on a mailbox can be tasteful ways to deck the exterior for the holidays. These elements will certainly add curb appeal and pleasantly welcome your potential buyers.  While a frenzy of flashing lights and rooftop ornaments might be fun and playful, try not to embrace your inner Clark Griswold. (National Lampoon movie-fest, anyone?) Your goal is to sell your house, not distract or even turn off your buyer by creating a neighborhood spectacle.  7. Do celebrate the holidays and create a warm, joyful feeling. There is an advantage of offering your home for sale and decorating it during the holidays. If you strike the right balance, your residence will exude a positive energy and charm that cannot be felt at any other time of the year. Done well, your decorated home will offer the kind of warmth that appeals to potential buyers and helps them to imagine living there. So go ahead and celebrate what is likely your last holiday season in that home. Happy holidays! |
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Current Listings |
 Zionsville - $497,000 
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Do You Know Someone Looking To Buy or Sell? |
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It is a common misconception that a real estate agent primarily learns of someone looking to buy or sell a home when someone simply calls an agency looking for an agent to help them. Although this can happen, it is very rare. In fact, over 80% of the referrals I receive come from past clients and past coworkers just like you. The other 15-20% of referrals comes from our national network of relocation companies and other Coldwell Banker agencies across the country. The greatest compliment I can receive is when someone like you refers me to a friend, coworker or family member of theirs. If you, or someone you know, are looking to either buy or sell a home then I would certainly appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. Do you know of someone looking to buy or sell a home?  |
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Contact Brad Gough |
Bradley Thomas Gough Associate Broker  12401 Old Meridian Street Carmel, In 46032 Email brad@btgough.com Mobile (317) 590-3571 Office (317) 844-1131 Website www.btgough.com      |
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Charities Supported |
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There are so many great charities out there that and it is very hard to decide what to donate to. My wife Elissa and I have been very fortunate and have a good life. We simply can't donate to everything, however, we are very passionate about several different causes. We are sustaining members for the following organizations and encourage each of you to donate in any way you can to a cause that you are passionate about too. 
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 
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