Have you ever wondered if there are less clients looking for homes when it's raining outside? I've always wondered that. I had a property on the market last winter and, after standing around two or three open houses with only one or two visitors, I began to ask myself that question. Now the property in question had been on the market for some time, but I had taken it off while the family had done some major upgrades to it. For all intents and purposes, it was a new listing. During the summer I had 10 or so visitors at each open house. Now that it was winter, the number of prospects had fallen to one or two per weekend. It was raining, it was ugly, it was cold. I was baking cookies, for that warm and inviting ambiance, and I was the only person eating them! So I started to ask myself.... what's going on?
Now I've been in sales and marketing for a very long time, and I know that different times of the year bring different results, Christmas, Tax Season, Summer (when everyone is looking to make that move), Fall but, really, such a drastic difference? 10 visits per day down to one, two, or maybe (god forbid), none? I'd done my homework, the home was price correctly, but there was something. IT HAD TO BE THE RAIN!
Because those of us in the Bay Area and, possibly, other parts of the state (sorry, I didn't check the weather anywhere but out my window), woke to rain this morning, I decided to ask others what their experience when working with weather is? I wondered how many of you recognize the effects of weather on our industry? Have you seen a difference based on weather and have you done to motivate people this time of the year? I know prospects and clients don't go away... so how do you handle the change of seasons?
Have a great day!
Stella Hughes
New Home Specialist
Winokur & Gage
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