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Holiday Real Estate Market - It Does Exist!

By
Real Estate Agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder & Company, REALTORS

[Originally posted over at S.E. Michigan Real Estate] 

Eight Reasons to List During the Holidays

Wow!  You'd think, from anecdotal evidence, that no one sells or buys a home during the holidays.  Obviously, that's not the case; the housing market statistics show that homes do close during the months of December and January.  There is a definite decrease in the number of homes that sell during the holidays.  Just check out the statistics here.

For those folks thinking of selling their home and waiting for spring, here are eight good reasons to list your home for sale during the holidays:

  1. Less Competition
  2. Serious Buyers Shop During the Holidays
  3. The Best Agents Continue to Work During the Holidays
  4. Relocation Buyers Move This Time of Year
  5. If it Does Not Sell During the Holidays, You are Ahead of the Others
  6. Not Lost in The Spring Shuffle
  7. Your Home Looks Great This Time of Year
  8. Buyers are More Sensitive to Scheduling Appointments

For those folks from warmer climes, the Michigan real estate market does slow down in the winter time.  A lot of it, I am sure, is due to the holidays.  But the weather simply makes it difficult to get around at times.  So showings become more...interesting.

11/23/06 Update:  My friends over at MIOAKLANDCOUNTY have a similar post on questions they field from clients about having homes listed over the holidays.  The money quotes:

....if your home is not on the market, they can't buy it. Home buyers this time of year are serious.

This time of the year is a great time to have your home on the market. Just remember the basics. Have it well priced. Make sure it is in good condition. Know that you have a strong marketing plan in place to get the word out. And do what you can to make it accessible to potential buyers. With these things in place, you are more likely to have a quick sale, and you are not competing with all of the homes that will be on the market in the spring.

Maureen Francis
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel - Bloomfield Hills, MI
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel
Keep on posting!  We need more michigan content here.
Dec 01, 2006 07:09 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude
Good post. That has been my experience, too. The overall inventory is down and there are fewer buyers, but those out there are seriou. I had my business month even in December a couple o fyears ago...everyone esle in the office was slow. I put 7 properties under contract that closed in January - great start to the year!
Dec 01, 2006 07:33 AM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Absolutely.  The serious buyers who are ready to, as one of our agents says, "PULL THE TRIGGER". are out there looking.  Agents who don't take buyers seriously this time of the year can miss some very good opportunities.

Lots of sellers take their home off the market.  Agents leave their jobs to take vacations, whether they earned enough to justify it or not. 

More opportunity for us "worker bees". 

 

Dec 01, 2006 07:48 AM
Keith Jeppson - Salt Lake City Real Estate
Everest Realty Group - Holladay, UT

Yep, i love the market this time of year.  Less competition with Agents.  Nobody is working because they don't think anyone is buying and selling.

Think again.

Dec 01, 2006 07:49 AM
Yael Warman
Right About Real Estate - Dania Beach, FL

Here in Florida, we are fortunate to have sunshine all year round (I am not trying to make those of you who are freezing feel bad), so a lot of out of towners come in the winter (between November and March) and purchase investment properties and vacation homes. It doesn't matter if it is December 25th or 31st, they want to see properties.
And all the locals that are buying and those who are making Florida their primary residence, try to close before the end of the year in order to be able to claim Homestead, so the last two weeks of the year are crammed with last minute closings.

Dec 01, 2006 08:04 AM
Brad Patshkowski
Heritage Home Loans a division of Mann Mortgage LLC - Spokane Valley, WA
Home Loans Spokane, WA
This is the kind of post that I have been looking for.  i knew there was a market around the holidays, but I neer knew what kind of people are looking.  This is going to help me a ton, thanks a bunch!
Dec 01, 2006 08:22 AM
Ann Guy
NA - Allentown, PA
I find that the holidays become my busiest time of year, and for the reasons you listed.  If you don't fall for the "no one will buy" perception, you will be alright.  At least that's what I have found
Dec 01, 2006 09:26 AM
Bill Williams
Coldwell Banker Tomlinson Group - Boise, ID
Great post Todd.  I gave a couple of those reasons to someone this morning.  I just might have to call them back up and give them the rest!
Dec 01, 2006 10:12 AM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

I agree that this time of year there is a market, I usually end up with several closings in December and January and I am track to do so again this season. 

This is truly the time of year some people relocate.

Lots of sellers take their property off the market for the holiday, so if you are brave enough to keep your property listed you do have a good shot of getting an offer.

Dec 01, 2006 10:37 AM
Suzanne Marriott
Keller Williams Arizona Realty - Anthem, AZ
Associate Broker, CLHMS, e-PRO
It's a great time of year to list - especially to get listing agreements signed and in place with folks that want to go "active" right after the first of the year.
Dec 01, 2006 11:01 AM
Todd Waller
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder & Company, REALTORS - Ann Arbor, MI
Todd Waller | Real Simple Real Estate

Whoa!  I'm definitely feeling the AR love today!  

Thanks for the feedback.  These reasons have worked well over the years and I don't see them losing their impact in the future either.

Dec 01, 2006 12:06 PM
Maureen Francis
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel - Bloomfield Hills, MI
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel
Warning to Todd. The love on AR is addictive.  It can lead to estrangement from your "real" blog.  You are talking to someone who knows.  
Dec 01, 2006 01:48 PM
Geno Petro
GenoPetro.House - Chicago, IL

Someone walks into my open house at 3:30 on a Sunday afternoon in a snowstorm when there's a Chicago Bears game on TV and they are the only visitor of the day...Now that's an interested party. I always do deals around Christmas because I always work right up until the end of the third week in December.(probably just jinxed myself.)

 

 

Dec 01, 2006 03:46 PM
Patrick Sharples
Realty ONE Group - Anaheim, CA
Commercial ~ Investment ~ Leasing ~ Residential
This is a fantastic posting! The most important items on the list are Serious Buyers are in the market and this is when 90% of Relocation Buyers buy. Why is the relocation buyer important? They are most likely to pay top dollar for your homes since their company will be picking up much of the cost.
Dec 01, 2006 04:57 PM
Leo Namiot - LeoLends.com
Canopy Mortgage - Leo Namiot - Saint Augustine, FL
More than just great rates
Great points, I find this time of the year to be very busy. As you stated "serious buyers"
Dec 02, 2006 12:10 AM
Chris Tesch
RE/MAX Bryan-College Station - College Station, TX
College Station, Texas Real Estate
Yes, if they are taking time from their shopping and everything else this time of year then they are very serious.  Especially in Michigan.  I'm a native Gander, but a warm Texan now!
Dec 02, 2006 01:55 AM
Jesse Normand
ReMax Elite - Manchester, NH
Yup, consumers are still active this time of the season. I had 2 closings last month, just picked up 2 new listings and have a handful of active buyers...
Dec 02, 2006 04:08 AM
Robert Hammerstein -
Christie's International Real Estate - Hillsdale, NJ
Bergen County NJ Real Estate

Hi Todd,

 

Good Blog!  Check out ours called "Home For the Holidays" on our site.  Your of course is better because you listed stats, etc. but we're pretty new to the blogging scene.  Glad to have others that we can strive to emulate!

Lisa Hammerstein

Dec 02, 2006 04:14 AM