Generally speaking, we humans tend to be a restless bunch, never satisfied to sit still for long. We're either packing up and moving to the other side of the hill, or inventing a better mousetrap, or discovering yet another "life-long passion". Isn't it great? Without that drive, we'd still be living in caves (damp, no plumbing, lousy cell service - not good). The point of this? While we may have a bit of fear about big changes, we can get pretty excited about smaller, predictable ones, especially the changes of seasons.
Fall is a great season to invoke when presenting your home for sale. Not only is it traditionally a busy Real Estate season (even in an otherwise crummy market), Fall is an easy season to "bring inside" your home for ambiance. The only real challenge is to avoid going overboard.
- Use a light touch. An accent is much more attractive than an immersion. Kind of like "I love carrot cake, but if that's all the food there was in the world, well...", you get the idea.
- Remember not everyone celebrates the same holidays - or in the same ways. Again, a suggestion is so much more evocative than a bold statement. Use bits of color: pillows, table runners, a spray of evergreens and /or autumn leaves. This presents a hint to your buyers, which they can develop into their own version of "seasonal decor" in their imaginations.
- Scent is a wonderful tool, as well. Again: Light is key. A few sprigs of eucalyptus in a vase or basket look and smell very Autumn. Same for a genuine cedar-ship potpourri. Some sellers like to bake cookies or bread before the buyers arrive, to leave that comforting smell lingering. No artificial scents, though - one person's air freshener is another person's headache! (and certainly no onions, garlic, meats, fish, etc.)
- And about those cookies: I read a great suggestion the other day about how to get buyers to "feel at home in your home". The original idea was to leave a plate of cookies and an invite to sit at the kitchen table and enjoy. I'd rather offer them some high-end bottled water (think Perrier - no flavors or sweeteners) - this sidesteps all kinds of potential dietary disasters, and is very classy, too. Leave a nicely printed note, along the lines of "thanks for coming - please have a seat and relax for a moment!" This is a very clever application of the "act as if" principle - when the buyers take a seat and a snack at your kitchen/dining table, they are much more likely to start thinking of themselves as doing this at their table in this room. And if they bring the bottle with them, well we all know the value of a souvenir...
- And, just like in polite conversation, put away any political and / or religious statements (if you have bumper stickers on the car in the driveway, back it in! This is part of your curb appeal.). No, I'm not straying off-topic - this is an election year, and autumn is the beginning of religious holidays for many people. Remember, you want your buyers to see this as their home, not yours.
- And finally, back to that Curb Appeal: make sure your yard and entry look wonderful all the time. Obvious? yes, but easy to let slip in this season of rapidly changing weather, falling leaves, dying grass and gardens. Get up a little earlier every day and take a critical look from your curb, first thing. Spend a few minutes keeping things in line, it will be very much worth your while. Oh - and change / remove those decorations as soon as the holiday is over (except for December - those can stay up till New Year's Eve, at latest).
