Moving for Merriment: How Holiday Decorations Impact Home Choices

The holidays bring plenty of cheer, but they also come with differing opinions on how much is too much—whether it’s parties, decorations, or how long to leave up the tree. For some, the twinkling lights and festive gatherings are pure joy, while others prefer a quieter season. 

This made us wonder: how much do holiday habits influence where people want to live? To dig deeper, we surveyed more than 1,300 homeowners across the U.S. to see how neighbors’ approach to the season—whether over-the-top or low-key—might spark thoughts of moving. 

Our survey revealed a surprising trend: people are more put off by too little holiday cheer than by too much. Most prefer neighborhoods that embrace the season with lights, gatherings, and festive energy, valuing the sense of community it brings, making a lively holiday atmosphere more appealing than an understated one. 

Deck the Halls or Pack the Boxes

For many families, the pursuit of holiday cheer influences their moving decisions, seeking neighborhoods that embrace festive decorations and seasonal spirit. Nearly 20% of families with children would consider selling if their neighborhood didn’t partake in holiday decorations, compared to only 11% of families without children. Another 26% of homeowners would consider selling their home if their HOA was too strict and limited holiday decorations.

And the data proved that the benefits of holiday magic outweigh the potential drawbacks of Clark Griswold-like neighborhoods. Only 8% of homeowners would consider moving if homes near them had too many holiday decorations; a mere 12% of homeowners would consider selling if their neighbors put up decorations too early (the day after Halloween) or took them down too late (after New Year's). 

Keep the Party Animals Under Control

While it’s clear people enjoy living in festive neighborhoods, they’re looking for a balance—plenty of holiday ambiance without the noise and chaos. Over-the-top seasonal festivities can be a deal breaker for homeowners.

Roughly one-third of homeowners would consider selling their home if their neighbor’s guests parked all over the street and in front of their house, the most cited holiday-related reason homeowners would consider moving. Another 28% of homeowners would consider selling if their neighbor blasts holiday music too loud – or too early in the season. Sorry, Mariah Carey. And, nearly 20% would think about listing if their neighbor had too many parties during the holiday season.

Whether your holiday vibe is more Buddy the Elf, Ebenezer Scrooge, or somewhere in between, you deserve to live somewhere that brings you joy. No matter the season, or the reason, Opendoor can help you unlock your next chapter with a simple, certain, and fast way to sell. New year, new home? Let us help; get started today.  

Bryson Taggart is Opendoor’s agent partnership manager. 

Methodology: The data mentioned above was found via a survey conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Opendoor from November 15-19, 2024 among 1,353 U.S. homeowners ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.