A guide to selling your home at Christmas

The Christmas decorations that reduce the chance of selling your home

Can Christmas decorations reduce your chances of selling your home? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Although a bit of festive cheer has never harmed a house sale, there are several big nos where it comes to decorating fro Christmas if you're also conducting home viewings.

If you want to find how to sell a house faster around Christmas time, follow these tips on decorations to avoid.

1. COLORED, FLASHING LIGHTS

Fairy lights make your home more attractive during the dark season, but careful when choosing them. Estate agents warn that ‘colored, flashing lights aren’t everyone’s preference, and whilst some like the spirit they bring, they can put people off.’ Top tip is to ‘opt for a more tailored and sophisticated palette with white lights. This creates a more neutral, all-round aesthetic appealing to more.’ The best Christmas lights are always the more neutral ones if you want to sell.

2. LARGE EXTERIOR DECORATIONS

That inflatable Santa needs to go, sadly, if you want to sell. Agents advice is clear: ‘avoid the large inflatable decorations or reindeer on the roof.’ Instead, ‘keep it classy with a single welcoming door wreath or holly and ivy. Less is more when it comes to exterior decorations, especially if you have a for-sale sign in the garden.’

3. DECOR THAT COVERS UP ATTRACTIVE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF YOUR HOME

If you have so many decorations up that people can’t actually see the shape of the house, or are unable to make out attractive timber beams on your ceiling, you’re in trouble. Be mindful of covering up ‘any structure or feature in your home which may be of interest to potential buyers. This could be something as simple as an oak stair rail or the mantelpiece. Remember: less is more.’

4. WINDOW DECORATIONS THAT BLOCK OUT NATURAL LIGHT

Christmas window displays can look great, but if they take up all of your windows, your home will feel dark and dingy. Natural light is essential for viewings, so make sure your decorating efforts don’t block any natural light.’ he also advises being mindful of not blocking out natural light with your Christmas tree – ‘try placing your holiday pride away from any windows, and if you must, make sure the natural light still flows in.’

5. LOUD DECORATIONS ON A NEIGHBOR’S HOME

This one is trickier than the others to resolve, but ‘unfortunately it’s not just your own decorations that can put buyers off, it’s your neighbors’ too. Neighbors are a huge part for people moving house, and to see loud and garish decorations next door could certainly put potential buyers off.’ This may or may not work, but ‘If you know your neighbours well, perhaps just let them know you are trying to sell over the festive period and to be mindful of potential buyers.’

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LEADING INTEGRATIVE CANCER CHARITY WELCOMES TWO NEW TRUSTEES

Penny Brohn UK has announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Trustees. The appointees are Dr Penny Kechagioglou, consultant clinical oncologist, and Jon Green, former NHS hospital chief executive and operational director.

The pair join at a critical time for the charity and will be helping to steer its strategy and governance as it pursues its ambition to make sure every person with cancer in the UK is able to access and experience the best of integrative cancer care, leading to better outcomes and quality of life. Stephen Rosser, chair of trustees for Penny Brohn UK said: “I am delighted to be welcoming two such high calibre trustees on to the board.

“We will benefit enormously from Penny's experience as a consultant clinical oncologist and her passion for innovation in digital health. As co-chair of the British Society for Integrative Oncology she shares our vision to make integrative cancer care mainstream in the NHS.

“Jon brings a really unique perspective. His experience as a former NHS hospital chief executive, and a focus on the integration of services - building those services around the patient - will be of immense benefit to our board.”

Dr Penny Kechagioglou is a consultant clinical oncologist, the chief clinical information officer and deputy chief medical officer at the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW). 40 Penny is currently leading on the implementation of the electronic patient record (EPR) and digital transformation at UHCW and is passionate about enabling digital health through innovation.

Penny said: "I feel very privileged to join Penny Brohn UK as a member of the board of trustees. The organisation has just formally celebrated its 40th anniversary and we all reflected on the huge positive impact Penny Brohn UK has had on improving outcomes for people with cancer, their carers and their families, across the country.

“I am looking forward to working closely with the board and the executive team to drive growth and be in a position to reach out to more people who can benefit from our services, regardless of where they live or the timing in their cancer journey" Penny is co-chair of the British Society for Integrative Oncology with the vision to make integrative oncology practice mainstream in the NHS. With 18 years’ experience in clinical and managerial roles in the NHS as well as leadership experience in the private healthcare sector, Penny is committed to enabling equitable access to care and healthcare excellence.

Jon Green is a former NHS hospital chief executive and operational director who has worked within acute and community services in London, East Midlands and the East of England over the last decade and a half.

Jon said: “I am delighted to become part of the Penny Brohn UK family and join the board as a Trustee. Having worked in the NHS for many years I see and recognise the huge strain that a cancer diagnosis places on individuals and their families.

“I firmly believe that cancer treatment and management is so much more than just the clinical intervention and is about the whole person. I joined Penny Brohn UK because I want to promote this as widely as possible.” During his NHS career Jon had a particular focus on innovation and the integration of services and building those services around the patient. Prior to the joining the NHS he had a 20-year career in the Royal Navy as a warfare officer where he had a wide range of roles at home and abroad including sea going, intelligence and media management appointments.

More recently he has set up his own consultancy company providing support to other companies. This has included delivering service redesign services within Health and Social Care on the Isle of Man, support to a company providing hospital care in patients own homes and working with an innovation start up on COVID safety solutions for the UK and abroad; Jon has also been providing executive coaching and corporate facilitation to clients. For more information see www.pennybrohn. org.uk