Why One HGTV Star Says to Keep Your Holiday Decorations Up When Trying to Sell

When you’re selling your house, real estate experts tend to agree on one thing: Try to keep Christmas decorations to a minimum if you can. It’s not that they’re holiday grinches; it’s more about keeping things clutter-free and de-personalized so that any buyer can see themselves living there.

But in a recent interview with Apartment Therapy, Albie Mushaney — host of HGTV’s new series “House Hunters Ho Ho Home” — offered a slightly different take on the matter. He shared that he thinks homeowners should actually keep their holiday decorations up when trying to sell their house. “I figure that you’ve got to live in your house anyway until it sells,” Mushaney said. “So, personalize it and make it pretty, make it beautiful.”

In “House Hunters Ho Ho Home,” Mushaney helps families find new homes and decorate the spaces in time for the holidays. He’s all about the personalization of homes, even if they’re going to be sold. Decorating a house for the holidays shows potential homebuyers the possibilities for the space and offers ideas for the future. “By doing that, you’re showing them what it could look like and [giving] them the option,” he said.

A licensed real estate agent, he noted that there’s a simple enough fix if potential buyers want to view the house without any lights or decorations. “If they’re not into Christmas, all that stuff comes down and they can see pictures of the house without the decorations on it,” Mushaney said. “I personally don’t think it hurts. I think it gives it the homey touch and that never hurts.”

So if you’re trying to sell, you may not need to dull your twinkling lights. Let them shine as bright as ever — it might even snag you an extra buck.

“House Hunters Ho Ho Home” is airs every night at 10/9 central until Dec. 17 on HGTV, and all episodes can be streamed on Discovery+.