You may have heard that Winter—in particular, during the holidays—is the worst time of year to sell your home. However, there is never a wrong time to put a house on the market. Some people need to sell over the holidays, just as some people need to buy a home during the holidays. Holiday buyers are usually more serious about buying a home, so you won't have to deal with "lookers" at open houses who aren't serious about buying. Ultimately, it is your decision whether or not to put your home on the market during this time of year, and it largely depends on the type of home you have. For example, if you have a hard to sell home (bad location, etc.), you might get shoved to the bottom of the showing list if you wait until spring to sell your home. There might be too many other much nicer homes for sale at that time. Your hard-to-sell home might rise to the top when there are fewer homes for sale over the holidays. 

Follow these tips to benefit from the advantages of selling during the holidays.

Don't Go Overboard On Decorations

Holiday lights can make houses stand out beautifully, but make sure not to overdo it on the decor. Adornments that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Make sure to only use tasteful decor that brings out your home's best features. Choose general holiday-themed lights and decor to avoid offending buyers with religious-themed decorations.

Seek Out Motivated Buyers

Work with your real estate agent to come up with a plan for targeting buyers. Anyone who is house hunting during the holidays is more serious, so they will be easier to pinpoint. Think about who you think your home's potential buyer will be and work to target that demographic.

Price It To Sell

No matter what time of year it is, a home that is priced to sell will attract buyers. Rather than slowly decreasing a listing's price through price reductions, discuss with your real estate agent before your house goes on the market and come to the conclusion of what price your home will realistically sell for. It's better to slash the price before your house goes on the market than to slowly lower the price once it has already gained marketing exposure.

Prioritize Curb Appeal

If you know you are going to be putting your home on the market during winter and have enough time to plan ahead, have your home's photos taken during summer. These photos are generally brighter and have better lighting. Make sure to maintain the exterior of your home too. Trees will start to lose their leaves in autumn months, which will leave your home looking more exposed. Touch up any paint, spruce up the yard and make sure everything looks its best so you can wow buyers during first impressions.

Make Your Home Inviting

Turn your house into an inviting place to escape from the cold during showings. Crank the heat, light a fire in the fireplace, play soft christmas music, and offer holiday treats! By encouraging people to spend more time in your home, you're giving them more time to admire its features. Plus, they might fall in love with the coziness of your home and want to move right in!