Don’t go overboard on holiday decorations. Large decorations can make your home seem smaller and they can distract buyers. If you choose to decorate, opt for fewer and smaller items with a general winter theme.   Hire a reliable real estate agent.Ask family and friends to recommend a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) REALTOR® who willwork hard for you and be available during the holidays.   Seek motivated buyers. Any person shopping for a home during the holidays must be highly motivated. Target buyers who need to move soon, such as people relocating for jobs, college students and university staff on break, and investors on tax deadlines.   Price the property to sell. No matter what time of year it is, a home that’s priced appropriately for the market will attract buyers.   Pay attention to curb appeal. Maintaining your home’s exterior is just as important in the winter as it is during any other season. Touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Also keep buyers’ safety in mind by keeping stairs and walkways clear of snow, ice or leaves.   Use high-quality photos and/or a video tour to market your home on the Web. Homebuyers are likely to start their home search on the Internet, so these tools can help buyers who may not have time to visit your home in person.   Make your home cozy and inviting. When showing your home, crank up the heat, play soft music and offer homemade holiday treats. It will encourage buyers to spend more time in the home, which gives them a chance to admire its best features.

FEATURE		Jan 1 – November 30, 2009	December 1 – April 30,
		Rules as enacted February 2009 $8000	2010 Rules as enacted November 2009 $8000
First time Buyer – Amount of Credit		($4000 married filing separate)	($4000 married filing separate)
First time Buyer – Definition for Eligibility		May not have had an interest in a principal residence for 3 years prior to purchase No Provision	Same$6500
Current Homeowner Amount of Credit	–	No Provision	($3250 married filing separate)
Effective Date – Current Owner		No Provision	Date of Enactment Must have used the home
Current Homeowner – Definition for Eligibility		Purchases after	sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years Purchases after
Termination of Credit		November 30, 2009.(Becomes April 30, 2010 on Date of Enactment.)None	April 30, 2010 S
Binding Contract Rule		$75,000 – single	o long as a written binding contract to purchase is in effect on April 30, 2010, the purchaser will have until July 1, 2010 to close.
Income Limits (Note: Increased income limits are effective as of date of enactment of bill)		$150,000 – marriedAdditional$20,000 phase out None	$125,000 – single $225,000 – marriedAdditional$out20,000 phase $800,000
Limitation on Cost of Purchased Home		No Provision	Effective Date of Enactment Ineligible
Purchase by a Dependent		None	Effective Date of Enactment Purchaser must attach
Antifraud Rule			documentation of purchase to tax return