Selling in October? How Halloween Decorations Could Make or Break Your Home Sale

It's officially October, and Halloween is just around the corner.

For those with their house on the market this month, there's finally been a turn toward a more buyer-friendly market nationwide, though conditions vary widely by region. In the South and West, inventory is 4.3% and 9.3% higher than pre-pandemic, respectively, giving buyers more options. (In contrast, the Midwest and Northeast still trail pre-pandemic supply by 40% and 51.1%, respectively.)

So, if you're selling, finding ways to stand out to buyers is crucial, and for some, this may beg the question: Will Halloween decorations help or hurt your chances of selling your home?

The truth is, festive touches can make a house feel cozy and welcoming, but they also run the risk of overshadowing what really makes your home shine.

Wondering whether to go festive or hold off? Here's how to make the call.

Can Halloween decorations help you sell your home?

"Tasteful decor like a few pumpkins, leaves, or a wreath can definitely help sell a home, and I recommend most sellers do a bit of light decorating to match the season," advises real estate agent Joe Luciano, of Re/Max Bentley's in Newburyport, MA.

Some helpful suggestions include colorful mums or string lights to make a house seem warm and inviting, especially in cooler regions like New England or the Midwest.

In family-oriented neighborhoods, subtle Halloween decor might also appeal to buyers with children or buyers who value a community vibe, according to real estate agent Fred Loguidice, of Indianapolis.

"Families with children need to be able to envision their family not just living in the house, but living on the street," he says. "If other homes are decorated and your listing is tastefully included, it can mean a lively, active, and engaged neighborhood, a high priority for most young families."

Additionally, since listings tend to cool in fall, seasonal decorating may help a home stand out in listing photos, as long as it's not too holiday-specific.

"MLS photographs taken in the fall, with vibrantly colored mums, an inviting fall wreath, and the warm glow of interior lighting, create dynamic and inviting curb appeal that a buyer is more likely to click on," says Loguidice. "It transforms the house from a typical listing to a visually interesting one."

The potential downsides of decorating for Halloween

But if you're not careful, over-the-top Halloween decorations could narrow a property's appeal to just families or Halloween enthusiasts.

"That's why I recommend the concept of 'less is more,'" says real estate professional and attorney Bruce Ailion, of Re/Max Town & Country in Atlanta. 

Halloween decor can sometimes take attention away from the home’s best features.

"The greatest risk is that the decoration distracts from the selling points of the house, so sellers must keep decorations away from any focal points they want to highlight," says Loguidice.

Some buyers might wonder if the Halloween decor is meant to cover up problem areas.

"You don't want a buyer questioning whether or not a spider web is hiding a cracked wall or peeling paint, which would be a major ethical faux pas," warns Loguidice.

Other buyers might find Halloween decorations gimmicky or off-putting.

"If there are too many decorations, a buyer may think they are going to tour a haunted house instead of their potential new home," warns Cara Ameer, an agent licensed in both Florida and California. 

Some buyers Loguidice has worked with in the past have responded poorly to homes with overly spooky or cluttered displays.

"They felt overwhelmed by the decorations, which stole focus from the architecture and flow of the home," he recalls.

Sellers should avoid anything that's polarizing, including gore, animatronics, or heavily religious-themed Halloween decor.

"I was selling a two-family home a couple of years ago during Halloween, where the tenants decided to wrap caution tape around parts of the home and put fake blood handprints on the glass slider," recalls Luciano. "It did not help us sell the place whatsoever."

Does location matter when it comes to seasonal staging?

Because some regions have a strong reputation for their love of fall and Halloween, decorations might be more embraced there.

"In New England, Halloween is a big deal—and I sometimes get to work in Salem, where it's a huge deal," says Luciano.

In warmer climates like California and Florida, buyers might be less seasonally attuned, according to Ameer.

"Temperatures can be high there for Halloween, so there's not such a big focus on fall decor," she says. "But I have seen some skeletons perched with surfboards in coastal towns to reflect the beach vibe."

In certain places, front-porch pumpkins and stacked hay bales are as much about curb appeal as they are about Halloween.

"Most buyers that I've worked with in Salem love Halloween, so that's one of those markets where it'd feel out of place to not have any Halloween decorations," says Luciano.

The do's and don'ts of decorating 

Halloween decorating certainly isn’t required when selling a home in October, but strategic and restrained seasonal staging can enhance a buyer’s emotional connection when done right.

Here are a few do's and don'ts for decorating during a sale, according to Loguidice:

• Do use neutral fall colors like creams, rusts, and deep yellows.
• Don't blast spooky sound effects.
• Do add understated, natural elements like pumpkins, gourds, and corn stalks.
• Don't put out decorations that are violent, gruesome, or gory.
• Do add some minimal, warm lighting to contribute to that welcoming atmosphere.
• Don't blow up massive inflatables that dominate the yard.
• Do leave Halloween-specific decorations out of listing photos to make them timeless.