REDISCOVER REAL ESTATE: Moving or selling during the Holidays?

Moving when everybody else is celebrating the holidays is no doubt any fun at all. You may be very busy visiting or entertaining friends and family but here are some suggestions that could help those of you relocating and trying to settle into your new home during this festive season:

No matter where you're moving to or from, don't pack all your warm clothes away.

Plan for winter weather by keeping a shovel handy for any last minute snow removal on either end of the move.

Make sure you have your utilities-especially the heat-arranged in advance in your new home.

As you pack, make sure holiday decorations will be easy to find. When you arrive in your new home, make putting them up one of your first unpacking tasks to make the rest of the moving process cheerier.

If you'll be on the road on the day of a holiday, consider planning a mid-move stop at a friend or family member's home to spend the day celebrating.

If you've moved away from loved ones, use technologies like Skype or Google Video and Voice Chat to keep in touch.

Buy holiday presents before you leave and pack them with the rest of your things, or order gifts online to be delivered to your new house. This will also reassure kids that Santa definitely knows your new address.

The closer your move is to the holidays, the crazier traffic on roads and in airports is likely to be. Keep this in mind as you're planning your timeline, and adjust accordingly so you don't end up doing a "Home Alone"-style airport sprint.

Once you've arrived, take a walk in the winter wonderland and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. There are likely to be many holiday-related community events that provide a perfect chance to get to know your new neighbours.

_____________________________________________________________________________________ Selling your home is a stressful event, but doing so over the holiday season can kick the tension level up a notch. If your home is on the market over the holidays, you might be wondering if you should deck the halls or give it a pass for this year. That is, if in fact you celebrate the season. When deciding whether to decorate or not, take the demographics of your neighbourhood into account. If the majority of home owners in your area do not celebrate the holidays, you may want to follow their lead. Here are some things to take into account if you are going to decorate:

Less is definitely more. Combat clutter by keeping your holiday decor to a minimum and choosing classic, tasteful pieces.

Avoid displaying holiday collections. I happened to mention one year that I like nutcrackers. I didn't even own one at the time, but now, 10 years later, I would have to guess that there are close to 80 of those little fellows standing guard in my home during the holidays. If I were selling, I'd want people to look at my home, not my collection.

Decorations should be in good condition. This is not the year to bring out Grandma's tattered Santa Claus or Rudolph with the missing nose. Let them hibernate.

Use an artificial tree for this year. You can place some pine boughs in a large bowl and dress it up with a few pine cones and holiday balls. You'll still get that real Christmas tree scent without the mess.

Never leave tree lights on when you are not home. If you have a showing booked, turn the lights on just before the appointment and be sure to come back right after to turn them off.

Consider the safety of small children that may be coming through your home. Don't leave out small decorations that could become a choking hazard.

If Felix the cat has a bad habit of knocking your tree down on occasion, you might want to forego putting your tree up this year. Murphy's Law says that Felix will do this just when potential buyers are on their way over for a showing.

*One last thing: once the holidays are over, make sure you take down your decorations soon afterwards. As well, if the listing photos were taken while your home was decorated for the season, make sure that once mid January rolls around, new photos are taken. Buyers that see a Christmas tree in your living room while viewing your property online in March will be tipped off pretty quickly to the fact that your home has been on the market for a while.

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