Should I Sell My Home During The Holidays Or Wait Until Spring?
It's that time of year again when holiday decorations are now hanging outside shopping centers and inside stores (well...they've been inside stores since 
July). It's a busy time of year and sellers often wonder if buyer's are out there looking at homes. One of the questions Im often asked by homeowners that are thinking of selling their home in the Portland Metro area is "should I sell my home during the holidays or wait until spring?".
With our current low inventory, it's still a seller's market in Portland and depending on the location, price and condition, we are still seeing multiple offer situations. Buyer's have typically exhuasted all that is currently on the market and have either offered on it, or it wasn't "the one", so they're just waiting for those new homes to come on the market.
Listing your home during the holidays does have some benefits. If other seller's take their homes off the market to re-list in the spring, there will be even less inventory of homes to choose from..unlike the spring when you'll have more competition. Buyer's that are out looking during this time are also serious buyers, so you won't get as many "looky loos".
Tips to sell your Portland Metro home during the holidays:
~ Enjoy some decorations, but if you typically go all out, you'll need to scale down a bit. You'll also not want to put out those cherished heirlooms that might get accidentally bumped into
~ As with selling your home any other time of year, you'll need to keep it as 
"show ready" as possible. However, buyers during this time of year tend to be OK if you happen have a little holiday disarray around from baking or wrapping. Buyer's love to imagine themselves moving through the kitchen and home doing the same thing!
~ Know that you CAN say that you won't be showing for a couple of days while your family is visiting. If your home is in a hot location though....be prepared for those calls asking a "pretty please" for a showing.
~ Our Portland winters are much milder compared to other parts of country, but if your home is vacant, consider staging to warm it up..and of course keep the heat at a comfortable temperature by using a programable thermostat.
~ List your home with a knowledgeable real estate agent that can guide you through the process during this special time of year and help you price it right so you won't have to put up with disruptions for too long!
A great holiday gift would be a sold home!
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