Seasonal charm can draw homebuyers, but you don't want to overdo it.
Whether you're a homeowner prepping for a fall listing or a real estate agent advising clients, here’s how to strike the right seasonal balance
Why 'less is more'
“Don’t pumpkin spice your home," said Beverly Parkinson, a stager based in Los Angeles. "If you want to put a sweet little white pumpkin next to a cookbook, my blessings are with you. But jack-o’-lanterns and Halloween decor? Big no.”
It's best to keep your spaces neutral and depersonalized when selling your home. That neutral, however, can include some small seasonal details.
“A little bit of decoration is great, especially in the fall or around Christmas — it brings charm," said Amy Grant, a Sotheby's agent in Connecticut.
In some regions, particularly New England, the fall foliage is famous for its beauty. When staging a home to sell, owners can still lean a little bit into seasonal charm there but let the property's natural environment lend that autumnal appeal.
"Personally, I’m of the mindset that less is more with seasonal decor, especially [in] a home on the market," said Danica Gadeken, founder of Nadine Stay, an interior design company based in Nebraska and Maine. "It can very easily look cluttered, and, again, style is so subjective. You want buyers to picture their life and their belongings in your home, and a neutral backdrop gives buyers the opportunity to do that."
A white pumpkin on the coffee table and a burnt orange hand towel in the powder room probably won't scare away prospective buyers.
“If clients love fall decorations, I say put them up — make it authentic," Grant said. “Just make sure buyers can see the space and aren’t distracted by clutter or strong scents.”
To be sure, some experts strongly caution against adding traditional seasonal decor because you never know how buyers will react.
“There are people who have visceral reactions to seasonal items. Maybe their mom put out a bunch of pumpkins and they hated it," Parkinson said. "You never know what someone’s emotional response will be.”
Leave Dracula in his box
Skeletons, witches and jack-o'-lanterns and other Halloween fare should stay in their boxes while the house is on the market.
"Holiday decorations just don't photograph well. They can look spooky or cluttered and distract from the home's features," Parkinson said.
For sellers, that lack of holiday decoration can be hard to cope with while a home is on the market.
“Homeowners often feel like they’re stripping their personality out of the house — and that’s the point,” Parkinson said.
For that touch of fall, sellers can swap those bright summer colors for warm neutrals and taupe and can layer textures by adding knit throws.
Porch decorations should also remain neutral and simple.
Otto Catrina, a real estate agent in the San Francisco Bay Area, said planting or displaying seasonal flowers and plants is good for curb appeal.
“If you’ve got a porch or balcony, a nice bistro table with some plastic flowers can make it feel inviting,” Catrina said.