The Holiday Season is a Great Time to Shop for a Home

The Holiday Season is a Great Time to Shop for a Home

Sure, there are fewer homes selling between Thanksgiving and New Year's, but that doesn't mean buyers can't drive great deals. Here are some things to consider about the San Francisco market as the holidays draw near:

For every property that has been selling, another property is being price reduced and yet another is expiring or being withdrawn.

A lot of homes are going to be withdrawn from the market over the holidays, with the plan to be re-listed (at a lower price) in January. Those are buying opportunities now.

While many buyers sleep, other  buyers make great deals between Thanksgiving and New Years.

If you like a property, write the offer at whatever price you're willing to pay – disregard the list price (and don’t bother asking the listing agent if the seller will entertain low offers)!

Ask your agent to review recently expired listings as part of your search process.  Off-market deals can be great deals.

Revisit listings where you originally heard the seller wouldn't budge off a particular price. They are often willing to reconsider price as time goes by

Pre-emptive offers still make deals all the time, while everyone else is patiently waiting for the offer date

Use a tool like CleanOffer to stay abreast of inventory and what's happening in the market on a day-to-day basis; what's selling, what’s new, what’s back on the market, what's been reduced and what's being withdrawn.

The Holidays are also a key time for sellers: Buyers looking in December are generally the most serious, and with listings getting withdrawn as Thanksgiving approaches, you will have less competition.