We may not have four seasons in SoCal, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take full advantage of the fall vibe to engage prospective buyers.
Everyone has Halloween, Thanksgiving, and family gatherings on their mind. Why not use that to make your house feel like it should be their next new home?
1. Make Jack O’Lanterns
If you have kids, let them go nuts with making Jack O’Lanterns. You can place them on the front steps, on the back deck and at the base of the front yard lamppost. If you don’t have kids or the time to carve pumpkins yourself, invest in faux Jack O’Lanterns from the craft stores. You can place faux Jack O’Lanterns indoors since you don’t have to worry about them going off. Try setting two on either side of the fireplace, or on a bookcase shelf. Go the extra mile by placing a battery-operated candle inside each one.
2. Set the Table For a Gathering
Many people prepare their table ahead of time when a family gathering is upcoming, so it’s okay to do this in your home for sale in SoCal. Give the illusion of a welcoming home that will be filled with family by setting your table for a big family dinner. Set chargers, silverware, drinking glasses and centerpieces on your dining room table. If your table has an extension, be sure to use it. Even if no one’s actually coming for dinner, your prospective buyers will be impressed with the spread.
3. Have the Candy Bucket Ready
One thing that many family-minded homebuyers like is when the neighborhood has plenty of kids for their children to make friends with. You can subtly send the message that it’s definitely a kid-friendly neighborhood by having your Halloween candy bowl or bucket ready inside the front door. Overflow the bowl with premium candies to further the impression of abundance. Make a small display out of it by setting it atop your entry hall table next to one or two elegant Halloween-inspired candles.
4. Bake Pies
Yes, it’s an old trick, but it still works. Your prospective home buyers will love entering your home to the smell of freshly baked pumpkin or apple pies. Set them on the counter to cool and cover them with an attractive covering. If you can’t plan exactly so the wonderful aroma is still in the air when the prospects arrive, you can cheat a little with scented candles. These are now conveniently available in holiday scents like pumpkin pie and apple spice. Place the burning jar candles in the kitchen window or a nearby shelf.
5. Landscape For Halloween
In SoCal, we’re fortunate not to have to spend our weekends raking leaves. But you can give the illusion of a Halloween landscape with a few small investments. Visit your local nursery and pick up three hay bales. Arrange them near the front door. Now, set a ghost or some other costumed figure atop one of the hay bales. Place an ordinary garden rake next to the hay bales as if the figure has been raking the yard. The rake isn’t necessary on a practical level, but in the minds of your prospective buyers it will fit in with the scene. This is a cute “trick” to help your prospects feel that this is a home where holidays are celebrated and the mood is light and playful.
In a way, you’re lucky to be selling your home in the fall. There are so many fun ideas that you can use to market your home during Halloween and Thanksgiving season. You can use one or all of these ideas to welcome prospective buyers to your home. Hopefully, you’ll have one extra thing to be thankful for this year—a home sale! (Related: How to Rent Out Your Home For Filming)
