Want to Sell Your Home Before Christmas? Here's What You Need to Know...

Thinking about selling your home before Christmas? You’re not alone - spring and early summer are always busy in the Canberra property market, and plenty of buyers are keen to secure their new home before the holidays. The good news is: yes, it’s possible. But it does mean getting organised and focusing your time (and money) on the right things.

Focus on What Really Matters

When you’re preparing to sell, it’s easy to get caught up in big-ticket projects that look impressive but don’t always add value. The truth is, buyers are more influenced by simple improvements done well. Start with the basics:

• Street appeal: mow, weed, trim and edge. Pressure-wash the driveway and paths. Freshen up the front door, hardware, letterbox, or house numbers.

• Space and light: declutter surfaces, pare back bulky furniture, replace dim bulbs, and clean those windows and tracks until they sparkle.

• Clean and refresh: deep-clean kitchens, bathrooms, grout and exhausts. Touch up paint where needed, or go for a light, fresh repaint if the walls are dated. Replace worn silicone and broken fittings.

• Fix the niggles: leaky taps, sticky doors, blown globes, wobbly handles equal little annoyances that make buyers wonder what else needs work.

• Scent and air: neutral is best. Throw open the windows, and stick with subtle citrus or vanilla rather than heavy sprays.
  

Not sure what will actually make a difference for your home? Ask me first! I’ll help you prioritise so you don’t waste time, money, or energy in the wrong areas.

For more inspiration, check out my free eBook Top Tips to Prepare for Sale packed with practical, low-cost ideas.

Don’t Leave Your Agent to the Last Minute

Even once your home looks great, it takes about two weeks behind the scenes to pull everything together: photography, floorplan, marketing materials, and the actual contract for sale. 

Starting early, while you’re still finishing getting the house ready, gives us time to polish the presentation so your campaign launches strong.

How Long Does Selling Take?

This is the question I’m asked most often. And the answer? It really depends on the type of property you have: price range, competition in your area, as well as the strategy and presentation.

• Well-presented, well-priced homes where there is strong demand often sell within 30 days (sometimes sooner).  A standard Auction campaign typically runs for 4 weeks.

• Homes with a niche buyer pool, price sensitivity, or more competition can take closer to 60 days.

I can give you a tailored timeframe and strategy after  I’ve walked through your home and reviewed recent sales of similar homes. Until then, an Instant Estimate might be a handy starting point if there has been enough activity in your area.

Start from Settlement & Plan Backwards

Finding a buyer is only part of the process - you also need to factor in the time between exchanging contracts and settlement. In Canberra, that’s usually 30–45 days, though some buyers may request longer to line up finance, sell their own property, or work around Christmas closures.

Here’s a simple timeline to work backwards from:

• Prep & paperwork: 2 weeks

• Time to secure a buyer: 4–8 weeks (30–60 days)

• Settlement: 30–45 days

Total: around 10–17 weeks from start to finish

Example: If you are aiming to settle the week before Christmas, you’ll usually want to launch no later than early–mid October (earlier to allow a buffer for up to 60-days on the market and/or a 45-day settlement).

We can also discuss flexible options (e.g., longer settlement, rent-back by agreement) if that better suits your moving plans.

Get Expert Guidance Before You Start

There’s more to selling than choosing the right weekend to launch. If steering clear of the mistakes that could slow things down or cost you money is also important, take a quick read of my eBook Costly Mistakes When Selling.

Whilst this will give you a head start, nothing beats personalised advice tailored to your specific home and plans! 

If you’re aiming to sell before Christmas, let’s chat now so I can map out the best strategy for your home and help you focus on the areas that will make the biggest impact.