Holidays are a meaningful and memorable part of most people’s homes. While the rest of the year may blur together, most people have sharp memories of holidays past, and the people who came to gather and celebrate. Many home buyers also give serious consideration to what their holidays will look like, in a potential home.
Over the decades, home design has changed notably, to reflect the evolution of how people choose to celebrate their holidays. The “must have” formal dining room has often been eliminated over the past 25 years, as fewer home buyers value a formal space that is only used on rare occasions, preferring that the additional space go into the rooms that they use everyday. Perspective has definitely changed. Some generations put a lot of importance on not just a formal dining room, but also their china and good silverware, which they felt needed a big, beautiful china cabinet.
When I first started selling homes, finding a formal dining room that fit people’s dining room furniture was often at the top of the list of buyer priorities. While it is still important to some buyers, I have to laugh at what I’ve often heard as the most common current reason for liking a formal dining room. It’s actually my personal preference, too. Do you know what it is? Many buyers who are indifferent about whether a home has a formal dining room or not, state that they love it when the formal dining room is the only room that you see from the front door. Why? Since it is a room that gets little use, it’s easy to keep it looking picture perfec
t. In retrospect, this is likely why the formal living and dining room, positioned by the front entry, became so popular in the first place. With homes being so much more expensive today, it’s a luxury that some buyers don’t put as much value on, while others still do.
As the times have changed, so has the way in which people celebrate with family and friends. For many, holiday gatherings have become much more casual. We also have a lot more diversity in our communities, bringing in a lot of additional holidays and traditions. We all had an unexpected change during the pandemic, when many families cancelled their gathering traditions. Now, large gatherings are celebrated again, but the trend towards casual has grown very strong.
Whether I’m working with a buyer who is a household of one person, or a large family, most still have strong opinions about their holiday decor and traditions. This can be one of the big advantages of the sparse furnishings that home stagers typically use, when presenting a home for sale. Why? It showcases space that is available in the home. No matter what their personal religious beliefs are, nearly all of my clients think about where they are going to put their winter holiday tree. When there isn’t space for it, many buyers feel discouraged. The emotions tied to holiday traditions are a big motivator in choosing a home.
Do you have real estate questions? Every home is unique. Please feel free to reach out to me at 925-964-5010 or via email at Lisa. Hopkins@Compass.com. Even if you’re not planning a move, I’m happy to help by providing you with relevant data, enabling you to make a well informed decision. It’s never too early to start planning for success.
