The Holidays are coming and what is a home seller to do? Decorate or not?
The answer is --it depends. If the street is one of those with every house out decorating the next an undecorated house will look out of place. Walking into a house during the holidays without any decoration can also feel uncomfortable and a bit sad.
Decorating for the season rather than the holidays can solve the problem. Evergreen boughs, holly, pine cones and candles say winter rather than a specific holiday and can stay in place through January. Choosing silver, gold, brown, green or even blue decorations and 
white lights keep the holiday display neutral.
What about a Christmas tree or a Menorah? For sellers with young children put up the tree a few days before Christmas and take down before New Years. Limit the decorations to one or two colors, use white lights and keep the children's charming handmade decorations packed away for the new house. A tall, thin tree will not make a room feel small and a tabletop tree would be the best choice for small homes or condos. Keep wrapped gifts out of sight in a closet.
A simple. tasteful Menorah can be placed on a sideboard or buffet. If a nativity is important to the seller a simple nativity can be enjoyed for the few days surrounding Christmas and then packed for moving.
Avoid MLS photos being taken with holiday decorations. The house will look shopworn by the middle of February.
If a buyer walks into a house, at any time of year, and it feels like a church or temple they will not envision themselves living there.
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