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Top 10 Reasons to Sell Your Home During the Holidays

By
Real Estate Agent with Helen Adams Realty 259636

Top 10 Reasons to Sell Your Home During the HolidaysHere are my top 10 reasons to sell your home during the holidays - and no, I haven't had too much eggnog!  Yes, I understand that the holidays can be a busy and stressful time for many people.  The thought of putting your house on the market during this time period can be daunting.  However, there are a lot of very good reasons for listing your home for sale during the holidays.

Top 10 Reasons to Sell Your Home During the Holidays

  1. Most people, homebuyers included, are HAPPY during the holidays!  Happy homebuyers who need to move are attracted to homes that are warmly decorated and inviting.  From a basket of beautiful mums on the front porch to the smell of cookies baking in the oven, buyers can get emotionally attached to your home if it invokes a sense of family and holiday spirit.  (But don't overdo it!  Too much decorating can be a big turnoff!)
  2. Less Homes on the Market = Less COMPETITION!  Let's face it...most home sellers like to wait until the "hot" selling season to put their home on the market.  In Charlotte, the big selling season is in early spring.  But why not get a jump on the competition?  When housing inventory is low, buyers will appreciate a home that is competitively priced and in tip-top showing condition.  Your home may generate a lot of interest and even multiple offers, which typically means a higher sales price and better terms.
  3. Holiday homebuyers are SERIOUS buyers!  In my years of real estate experience, I have found that some of my most serious homebuyers have looked for homes during the holidays.  Some buyers are anticipating year-end bonuses that will pad their downpayment.  Other buyers may be relocating to Charlotte at the start of the New Year to start a new job.  Whatever the reason, these buyers are motivated - they're not out looking at homes for the fun of it in colder weather while holiday to-do lists are looming large!
  4. Your home may look its best during the holidays!  Imagine your home surrounded by the red, orange and yellow leaves of Autumn.  Add a few pumpkins and some bright colored mums, and you've painted a vivid, nostalgic picture for many homebuyers!  They may envision their own family carving a pumpkin or roasting a turkey with their loved ones gathered around.  In December, the lights, wreaths, Christmas trees and wonderful smells will generate holiday spirit - and hopefully, a warm and fuzzy attachment to your home!  Whatever your holiday traditions...they resonate with homebuyers!
  5. Buyers will see your neighborhood in a new light!  Another one of my favorite reasons to sell your home during the holidays is that homebuyers will get to see your neighborhood all spruced up.  Many Charlotte neighborhoods decorate and light up their entrances during the holidays.  Lots of residents adorn their homes with lights, festive wreaths, candles and more - it's fun just to drive through a neighborhood and get a feel for it during the holidays.  (Hopefully you don't have THAT neighbor who loves to overdo it!)
  6. Tax benefits!  Although tax benefits are not the main reason a person buys a new home, they certainly don't hurt!  Some homebuyers might be looking to buy before the end of the year for an added tax benefit.  Check with your accountant  to deduct such expenses as mortgage interest, points and property taxes.
  7. More time off to look at homes!  Homebuyers may be able to take a little more time off during the holidays to look at homes for sale in Charlotte.  Kids are out of school, and some families have more time to check out homes and neighborhoods - why not be one of the homes they want to see?
  8. Become a non-contingent buyer!  If you sell your home during the holidays, you will be a non-contingent buyer when it comes time to buy your next home!  Few things hurt a homebuyer's bargaining power more than being a contingent buyer - meaning you must sell your current home in order to buy your next home (which is true of most people!).  Many sellers won't even consider a contingent contract from a buyer - there's just too much risk.  So sell your home during the holidays, know how much money you have to invest in your next home, and buy your next home with a strong, non-contingent offer!
  9. You still hold the keys and the deed!  For those sellers who are worried that if they sell their home during the holidays, they may end up having to move the day after Christmas, here's what I say to that....YOU hold the keys and the deed, and if you don't like the terms, you don't have to sell your home!  However, if you got a full price offer (or more) you might want to think of it as a great holiday gift and make it happen.  Very stressful for a few weeks, yes, but very beneficial in the long run!
  10. This Savvy Realtor® works during the holidays!  I may take a few days off here and there, but for the most part, I am WORKING during the holidays, helping sellers list their homes for sale, and helping buyers find the home that is right for them.  I've learned that lots of home buying and selling takes place during the holidays, so I make myself available to clients during this busy time.

Top 10 Reasons to Sell your home during the holidays

 

Are These Good Reasons to Sell Your Home During the Holidays?

Only you can decide when is the right time to put your house on the market!  But I hope I've given you some food for thought.  To get a general idea of what your home might be worth in today's market, check out my eValuator site.  The next step is to step up a listing consultation so that I can learn more about your goals and time frame for selling, see your home and its improvements/condition, and discuss my 21-point comprehensive marketing plan that will get your home sold!  Call, email or text me at your convenience and we'll get started!

 

Visit my website at www.SouthCharlotteLifestyle for other seller tips!

In the meantime, give some serious thought to my top 10 reasons to sell your home during the holidays!   

Comments (40)

Rob Arnold
Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. - Altamonte Springs, FL
Metro Orlando Full Service - Investor Friendly & F

Most buyers who are actively searching during the holidays are much more serious than at other times. 

Oct 26, 2014 01:52 AM
Goran Utvic
Goran Utvic Real Estate Broker/Construction Consultant - Chicago, IL
Chicago 2 Flat Specialist

Excellent points Melissa...a seller should take advantage during the holidays.

There is less inventory out there during the holidays and the inventory that is available also might be dropping the ball by making it hard to see their home by either the realtor or seller being too preoccupied with the holidays.

So list during the holidays and making it easy to show will definitely be advantageous to a seller.

Oct 26, 2014 02:14 AM
Blatt + Cutino
Coldwell Banker Realty - Monterey, CA
Broker-Associate 831/206-8070*Call today*

Yes!

Oct 26, 2014 03:18 AM
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

I have a listing now that I have been trying to sell for a little while. I am hoping there are buyers right around the corner.

Oct 26, 2014 05:20 AM
Melissa Brown
Helen Adams Realty - Charlotte, NC
Realtor - South Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

Awww Rich, thank you!

Nina, I agree.  But sometimes it is hard to get sellers to see it this way - I think they don't want the added stress of one more thing to worry about during the holidays.  But I've seen it work so many times that I think they should reconsider.

Hi Norma!  What a GREAT Christmas present that was for you!

Thanks Laura.  Do you have many sellers who want to sell during the holidays in AL?

Rob, that has been my experience as well.

Goran, great points!  Sellers must make their homes available if they want to sell, whether during the holidays or anytime!

Hi Troy.  If the listing has been on the market for a while already, it might need more than holiday spirit to sell (like better show-readiness, better price, or better showing availability).

 

 

Oct 26, 2014 07:59 AM
MichelleCherie Carr Crowe .Just Call. 408-252-8900
Get Results Team...Just Call (408) 252-8900! . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985 . Altas Realty - San Jose, CA
Family Helping Families Buy & Sell Homes 40+ Years

Every year I successfully help Silicon Valley home sellers in the fall and winter-I love selling during the holidays!

Oct 26, 2014 10:13 AM
Andrew Payne Realtor® Richmond VA Homes For Sale~804-938-5257~
Piedmont Real Estate - Richmond, VA
Richmond, VA, Real Estate, SRES®, NAR Green

Melissa,

 

Selling a home during the holidays can be a great opportunity.  Less competition with other similar homes on the market is probably the best reason to have one's home on the market during the holiday season.

Oct 26, 2014 12:08 PM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

Great post and instantly worthy of a reblog of the day. Thanks for the post! 

Oct 26, 2014 12:09 PM
Melissa Brown
Helen Adams Realty - Charlotte, NC
Realtor - South Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

Hi Andrew - I'll take less  ompetition any day!

Cheryl, thanks for the reblog - hope it attracts some sellers for you in Huntingtown!

Oct 26, 2014 12:48 PM
Gerard Gilbers
Higher Authority Markeing - Asheboro, NC
Your Marketing Master

All great reasons to sell during the holidays. I have always said that there is no bad time to sell since buyers are in the market all of the time. 

Oct 26, 2014 02:33 PM
Tanya Van Blake-Coleman
Van Blake-Coleman Realty, St. Thomas/www.talk-to-Tanya.com - St Thomas, VI
Improving the Quality of Your Life

Great tips Melissa! Very true, and you don't want to over do the decorations. If someone's home looks like it came out of Christmas vacation it can be a bit off putting to potential buyers who want it to feel welcoming and need an opportunity to envision it as "theirs". Too much interferes with that vision.

Oct 26, 2014 02:36 PM
Kevin Mackessy
Blue Olive Properties, LLC - Highlands Ranch, CO
Dedicated. Qualified. Local.

Those are some compelling reasons to tell someone who feared they missed the boat once summer is over.  Always good to reassure them.  

Oct 28, 2014 07:41 AM
Jeff Jensen
The Federal Savings Bank/Lending in 50 states - Greenwich, CT

Those all good reasons.  Sellers agents should read those to their sellers.

Oct 28, 2014 07:47 AM
Brian Olsen
Portland, Lake Oswego, West Linn & Dunthorpe Neighborhoods, Waterfront, Luxury & Floating Homes - Lake Oswego, OR
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Group | Keller Williams

Who doesn't want a big ole red bow around the front door of a holiday house.

Well Bought! 

Oct 28, 2014 08:03 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Melissa, these are all very solid reasons to keep ones home on the market over the holidays.  And there is no nicer staging prop than decked halls.

Nov 01, 2014 10:43 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Melissa Brown   Excellent post - very informative for people in your area and everywhere else

Nov 02, 2014 12:34 AM
Melissa Brown
Helen Adams Realty - Charlotte, NC
Realtor - South Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

Gerard, in our Charlotte market where inventory is so low, sellers should really consider selling during the holidays.

Kevin, I have buyers right now who need to buy a house before the end of the year.

Jeff, I wish more sellers would consider this!

Brian, I think it would be awesome to buy a house during the holidays!  I'd definitely put a bow on it!

Pat, I think they are solid reasons, too.  I know it can add some stress to the holidays, but I think it's more stressful to have a house that you need to sell!

Karen - I'm sure people in Woodbridge sell houses during the holidays!

Nov 02, 2014 03:05 AM
Michael Dagner
Brokers Guild Classic - Denver, CO
Your Denver Homes Realty Expert

Meslissa, those are awesome reasons not to wait-out the holidays and to get things moving right now.  In many neighborhoods inventory is still low and buyers are anxious.

Nov 15, 2014 01:35 PM
Lanre-"THE REAL ESTATE FARMER" Folayan
Samson Properties - Bowie, MD
I don't make promises.I deliver results.SOLD HOMES

If you are still out there at this time of the year looking for a house to buy then you are definitely serious ready,willing and able home buyer. Great list by the wat.  Thanks for sharing.

Nov 15, 2014 02:31 PM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

I think, it is always a good time to sell. There are always cons and pros. If the seller is ready to move on, it is time to sell.

Jun 09, 2015 04:54 PM