Entice Your Home Buyers During the Holidays by Kay Green December 2008

The holidays are probably my favorite time of year! I love decorating my home for the holidays, entertaining friends and family, celebrating the spirit of generosity and creating warm, inviting spaces to cheer up an otherwise chilly season (okay, it's not always that chilly in Florida, but still colder than our summer-time!).

Take advantage of the holidays to attract potential buyers to your homes with festive holiday decor. There are a variety of easy and affordable ways to add some holiday cheer to your model home and clubhouse's interiors - and exteriors.

Holiday Scents

Appeal to one of the strongest of the five senses - the sense of smell! For very little cost, you can get a handful of large cinnamon-scented sticks to place at the entrance of your model home. Publix grocery stores have these available every Fall. Place these neatly in a decorative umbrella stand or vase next to the main entrance to your model home to enhance your potential buyer's experience when they enter your home. Another easy way to appeal to the senses is to use a Lampe Burger scented oil lamp.

One word of caution with using strong scents: some people are allergic to strong fragrances! Use your own judgment on whether you want to please the senses of your buyers at the risk offending an allergically sensitive buyer.

Deck the Halls!

One of the best decorative holiday home embellishments you can utilize is absolutely free! Give your model homes a Fall facelift by starting with the front door. Decorate your door with some fresh evergreen garland - free from any Christmas tree lot. First, hang a tree branch clipped from an evergreen tree using a simple door hanger. Hot glue some beautiful sparkly snow flakes onto the smaller branches (find some affordable decorative items at your local Dollar Store or arts store), and attach a bow at the top for an attractive alternative to a traditional wreath!

Capture Your Buyer's Heart... Through Their Stomach

I'm the first to admit - I love good food. One of my holiday favorites are hot, sticky cinnamon rolls, fresh out of the oven. They will make anyone fall in love with you - and feel right at home.

Ingredients:
1 pound loaf of frozen bread dough, thawed
3/4 stick of butter, softened
2/3 cup of brown sugar
cinnamon, per preference

Directions:
Thaw out the bread dough thoroughly and roll out into a 12" x 8" rectangle. Layer on 1/2 stick of butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Add cinnamon to taste. Roll the dough starting from the 8" end and cut into pieces 1 1/2" wide. In a 9" x 13" pan, layer the remaining butter and brown sugar. Place the rolled bread dough slices in the pan next to each other. Let rise in the refrigerator overnight, or for a couple hours at room temperature. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Kay Green is a nationally recognized Interior Designer and Merchandiser. She founded Kay Green Design, Inc. in 1975. The company has since become one of the nation's most respected interior design firms. Based in Orlando Florida, the firm performs design and merchandising services for builders, developers and residents throughout the United States.