The holiday season is generally known as the worst time to sell a home. While sales do tend to drop off between November and January, there are actually some good reasons to list and sell your home during these months:
- Buyers are more serious. Anyone shopping for a home during the holidays probably has to buy before a certain deadline. January is a popular month for job transfers, so some buyers may be looking to make a move before the new year. Investors and advanced buyers may also want to close before the end of the year for tax reasons. If you live near a university, students and staff may be looking for homes between academic sessions, and if you live near a military base, servicemen and women may be moving to the area. Make sure your marketing plan targets these motivated groups.
- Buyers have more time to house-hunt. Some buyers purposely wait until their families are together for holiday vacations to start looking for a home.
- There are fewer homes for sale. Be a contrarian. A lot of sellers take their homes off the market during the holidays assuming no one will be buying. The reality is that serious buyers are still out there and combined with a lower inventory of homes, your home has an even better chance of standing out.
- Services are more available. Business slows down for real estate agents, lenders, home inspectors, appraisers and title companies during the holidays, so they all have more time to spend with clients and might actually offer you incentives to transact before years' end.
- Homes show better in the winter. Decked out in lights and garland, homes often look picturesque and are at their best during the holiday months.
Comments(1)