Home stagers will tell you to keep your home attractive but neutral when hoping to sell quickly. It should be appealing to potential buyers and also allow them to envision themselves, their style, and their possessions in the home. How does that translate to holiday decorations?

Do wreaths, lights, trees, and holiday figurines have a place in a well staged home? How should you advise your clients when listing their homes around the holidays?

From a practical standpoint if your client is hoping for a quick sale, holiday decorations are one more thing to pack when it’s time to move. This helped me make the decision to leave everything tucked away in the attic when we sold our house this time last year. It helped that we were traveling for Christmas and my daughter still got to enjoy decorating the tree with Grandma. Someone who will be home for the holidays might prefer to keep up the annual traditions to minimize the disruption the family is likely experiencing with a house on the market.

Back to appealing to home shoppers – while those considering the property might not celebrate the same holidays as the current owners and might be of another faith, culture, or simply have different traditions, most experts feel it’s nice to add a seasonal touch to the home.

“Decorations make a home look festive, and might draw more attention to it,” says Wilmington, NC real estate agent Alex Croft. “I think it’s a good idea to put them up, just keep it tasteful of course.”

Ace Cofer, a Wrightville Beach real estate agent agrees, saying, “When you walk into a home decorated for the holidays, it helps folks think of family, fun, and creating their own memories within any given property – all positive connotations for a potential buyer.”

A motivated seller may want to pare down their collection to avoid a cluttered look. A home should be warm and welcoming, but also give a sense of space.

So advise your clients to go ahead and trim the tree, light the menorah, or display whatever says “holiday” to them. Just remember – if the house is still on the market in the new year be sure to update any photos in the listing that show holiday decor so that the property looks fresh and current to anyone looking then.