7 Scary Things to Avoid If Youre Trying to Sell Your Home at Halloween

It may sound surprising, but doing Halloween deacute;cor right may actually help you sell your home. Doing it wrongmdash;well, wersquo;re terrified just thinking about it. Herersquo;s what not to do when decking out your house for the spooky holiday.

Donrsquo;t overdo the exterior

ldquo;Your home is strung with witch lights, gravestone markers dot your front yard and Casper the Ghost greets visitors at the door,rdquo; said MassRealty. ldquo;How will potential buyers take your home seriously when your kids insisted on decorating for the holiday.rdquo;

Dont go crazy with blood and gore

You may pride yourself on your intricate displays of horror and mayhem, but itrsquo;s best to save that for your new place. ldquo;Sure, your very realistic zombie playground may be a hit with the neighbors every year, but selling your home will require you to keep your professionalismmdash;after all, yoursquo;re trying to sell your house, not spook people away from your front lawn,rdquo; said DreamCasa. ldquo;Avoid any cringe-worthy Halloween deacute;cor like bloody handprints, tombstones, or morbid scenes.rdquo;

Donrsquo;t lack self-control with the pumpkins

You dont need your front porch to look like a grocery store display. A tasteful mix of pumpkins and gourds can be inviting. Keep the ldquo;tastefulrdquo; thing in mind when yoursquo;re carving, as well. The last thing you want is to attract attention to your Richard Nixon pumpkin instead of your newly painted front door.

Keep an eye on the kidsrsquo; carved pumpkins, too. If you donrsquo;t want to offend them by hiding the less-than-perfect pumpkins during an open house, you can simply turn the faces toward the wall for showings.

Donrsquo;t pack every inch of your interior with Halloween-themed deacute;cor

If buyers canrsquo;t take their eyes off your admittedly impressive skeleton collection, theyrsquo;re not paying enough attention to your floorplan and features. You want buyers to notice the home, not whats in it.

Donrsquo;t fail to decorate

If youre in a neighborhood in which every home decorates for Halloween, you dont want to be the one party poopermdash;this could make your home stick out for the wrong reason. Save the hanging witches and inflatable Dracula for another time and go for something elegant that speaks to the design sense buyers might find inside. We love these luminary pumpkins that are carved with repeating geometric patterns.

Dont let your yard go

Itrsquo;s fall and, in many areas, lawns will be dormant soon and yards wonrsquo;t be in their best spring shape. But that doesnt mean you shouldnrsquo;t make an effort, especially if yoursquo;re trying to get your home sold. A simple clean up, new mulch, and a couple of baskets of fall flowers near the door can be all it takes to look fresh and new.

Donrsquo;t price your home too high

This is problematic regardless of the time of year, but fall can be eye-opening for buyers who incorrectly assume that they may be able to command spring or summer home prices without the same competitive conditions. Your agentrsquo;s competitive market analysis should serve as a guide.