Decorating while selling a house

[Jamieamcbride]

Okay...I usually go all out for Christmas...but I know this year, with our house on the market, I need to back off some. LOL!

Does this sound okay and as a potential buyer, would you be totally turned off by seeing...

a wreath on the wall next to the front door with pointsettias placed on either side of the front door?

A wreath on the wall next to the screened door coming into the screened porch and a wreath on the door coming into the house? (Must go through screened porch to get to the back door of house)

A small (3 1/2 - 4 foot) tree lightly decorated on the window seat in the den?

And that is all I am planning. I might set some decorations out on the screened porch, but I don't know. I want to keep it simple.

[brdgebldr]

No, I don't think that is too much at all. As long as you can still 'see' the home and all of its features, a few decorations will be fine. Besides, I know whenever we have bought a new house, I always wonder where the previous owners put their Christmas trees! ;)

[eHelen]

Jamie, by all means, decorate your home for the holidays. Remember anyone looking during the holidays will be thinking about what their next home will look like decorated. Making it appear as normal as possible is a key factor in my opinion.

I remember seeing an owner making bows for her tree and I think she had the cimmamon and cloves simming on the stove, and I felt how Christmasy it felt. Emotions do some wonderful things and those senses work well for a seller. BTW, I would put some cimmamon and cloves in water in the microwave to get that aroma without having it so obvious on the stovetop, and I'd load up the kiddos for a ride to look at decorations!

Be ready to move--your home is lovely!

[Angela Macy]

I agree with Helen. Definately don't NOT decorate. For me personally, if I was looking at houses during the holiday season to buy, I'd find a home that was elegantly decorated (such as you have descripted) a lot more appealing than one that wasn't. I'd be able to get a better vision of what it would look like during the Holidays if I owned it with the decorations than not.

Just don't put one of those big blow up things of Homer Simpson dressed up like Santa Clause out in your front yard :D

[Jamieamcbride]

Just don't put one of those big blow up things of Homer Simpson dressed up like Santa Clause out in your front yard :D


:D Aren't those things hideous!!! I am laughing so hard, my cheeks hurt and my eyes are watering!!

Okay...I am going to go with what I described. I have been putting some orange slices and cinnamon to "simmer" on the stove....it smells so good in my house!!!

[I_luv_2_bake]

Jamie, I'm a Realtor and I say GO FOR IT! Houses look very homey when decorated for Christmas.

[Angela Macy]

:D Aren't those things hideous!!! I am laughing so hard, my cheeks hurt and my eyes are watering!!

Okay...I am going to go with what I described. I have been putting some orange slices and cinnamon to "simmer" on the stove....it smells so good in my house!!!

Ha ha - they are definately hideous!!! I'm not a big fan of those big blow up things anyways.

I had never thought to put that stuff on the stove top, I might start doing that. Just slice up oranges and put them with cinnamon and what, water??

[eHelen]

My home isn't for sell, but I'm fixing to put the cinnamon and cloves in the water and make it Christmasy this afternoon. I like putting it in the microwave, because it doesn't have to be watched like having it on the stove, meaning I can leave it on longer.

[Angela Macy]

Another thought for that Helen, I have one of those small, probably 3 cup crock pots, I'll probably end up using that and leave the lid off. Less of a fire hazard :)

What magazine or cookbook was I look through the other day that told you how to make poppurri??? Maybe it was the Rachel Ray Magazine? Anyhoo, you sliced oranges, lemons, etc and put cinnamon sticks on a wire rack in the oven at a low temperature for a while and somehow you ended up with poppurri.