WHEN YOUR Huntsville HOME IS FOR SALE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON...

Most of us like to do some holiday decorating, and this year it may be more important to us than ever. After the doom and gloom of 2020, we're all ready for some fun and good cheer.

However, when your home is for sale, it's a good idea to decorate with a light touch.

If you're just getting ready to list your home, consult with your agent before doing any holiday decorating at all. Make sure he or she has all of the necessary photos and/or virtual tours first. You want buyers viewing your home on line to focus on the house - not on your decorations. Additionally, holiday decor could serve to hide some of the home's best features.

When you do decorate, keep it simple. This Halloween, forgo the giant spiders crawling up the side of the house, the graveyard of fake tombstones covering the lawn, and the spider webbing draping over the front door.

They'll prevent prospective buyers from seeing what your home really looks like.

As Thanksgiving nears, stick with a tidy display of cornstalks and pumpkins. Grace your front door with a seasonal wreath, perhaps accompanied by a planter pot filled with colorful mums.

Inside, restrict your decor to a few well-placed pumpkins or flower arrangements. Resist the urge to cover every flat surface with holiday clutter.

Keep in mind that you're going for a festive, relaxing, welcoming atmosphere.

If you celebrate Christmas and believe that "bigger is better" when it comes to Christmas trees, restrain yourself this year. Choose a tree that is in balance with the room and its furnishings. Then place it where it won't hide any of your home's most desirable features.

Again, resist the urge to cover every surface. If you love to display your collection of Santas, or angels, or reindeer, limit yourself. Display one or two of your favorites and save the rest for 2021 - or at least until your home is under contract!

Outside, keep Christmas lights to a minimum. This is not the year to try to win a neighborhood lighting contest. Leave the inflatable Santas and reindeer in their boxes, and refrain from decorating the roof.

Remember that when your house is for sale, it is a product that you are trying to showcase to its best advantage.