Who said that Real Estate is slow during the Winter/Holidays???????
Certainly not ME!!! I stand behind my statement that I have told to countless sellers each fall - “The winter market is a GREAT time to SELL your home!” - and I mean SELL your home.
Imagine for a moment (don’t close your eyes because you need to read, but just imagine). It is cold out, November or December, a crisp 34 degrees in the air. It may be snowing or spitting at you as you walk along the streets, up slippery stairs (be careful!) to homes that are for sale; boots, scarves, gloves, umbrellas. Not the most desireable time to shop for a home. If you could choose what time of year to buy a home, I am sure it would be the Summer or Spring - it is pleasant, warm and full of life and fun!
Well wake up! It is the winter. No green, white and cold, and not a fun time to shop for a house. Why am I so glum? I am just trying to illustrate a point to you. WINTER BUYERS ARE NOT SHOPPING FOR HOMES IN 34 DEGREE WEATHER for FUN!!!! They are doing it because they HAVE TO! The most serious buyers are buying homes during the winter months. These months are between November-February. If they are out looking for a house, it is not a fun walk down the street on a warm Sunday afternoon, they are drudging through snow and holiday traffic to buy a home, and they will not leave without one!
Winter buyers are often more serious for a few reasons. First, most winter buyers have a job offer to start in January, or are given a job offer in the new year, in January. They must move quickly to find a house and begin their new jobs. Also, families with children are trying to get their kids in school for the second half of the year, to try to keep things normal for their kids.
So may sellers take their homes off of the market in November, anticipating a slow winter. I guess Realtors are suggesting this, or have so often in the past that this is what sellers just assume to be the case. Consider that you may want to sell your home, and it is May, you may be one of 30 homes in your area and price range for sale, because it is the “best time to sell.” Well consider that it is December, and you want to sell your home NOW. You may be one of 10 homes on the market through the holidays and winter. When these serious buyers come trudging through the snow to see your listing, you have a 1 in 10 chance of selling to that buyer who WILL buy because they HAVE to. Compare that to the May 1 in 30 chance of selling to someone who is just maybe considering buying and is out enjoying the weather. Which would give you a better chance of selling, May or December?
I AM NOT GOING ON RECORD saying that the winter is slow. In fact, I am so busy and it is great! This year, since December 15th, I have sold 4 of my listings and helped 3 buyers purchase their homes. That is 7 transactions in the last 30 days, those 30 days include Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, New Years Day. All 4 of those holidays, I had showings on my listings, or I received or negotiated an offer. Realtors never have a holiday, and I am happy to work to help my clients sell or buy their homes on a holiday! It was a great Christmas gift and a great way to start the new year for many of my clients! Two of those 4 listings wound up in a multiple offer situation, providing more profit for the sellers.
Who said this was a slow market? NOT ME!
Last, year, in 2006, I had 5 closings occur between Thanksgiving and New Years! All 5 of them were relocating for a job, or had to get their kids in school for the second semester. The year before that in 2005, I had 5 closings occur in February, and those buyers all put in offers in the December and January time period.
I believe in the winter market!!! My advice to you today, if your Realtor says that the winter market will be slow and nothing sells, find a new Realtor, because you will never sell if that is the attitude. I work 12 months a year, with steady business all year long. If I have sellers, I am working to sell the house. Be sure you know if your Listing Realtor takes off the standard Realtor break of Nov-Jan. I promise you, that is the time when most agents are not working because they don’t think that anything is happening. That is great for me and for my sellers who get their homes SOLD because I work to get them SOLD in the WINTER!
There is still time to take advantage of the WINTER market!!! With my work ethic and support team, we can have your home ready for sale in days, and SOLD in an average of 35 days (Most Realtors listings stay on the market an average of 100+ days) I am ready to SELL your house!
If you are serious about selling, call me!
I look forward to selling your home in this winter market!
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