We’ve entered December! The Thanksgiving decorations have come down and people are gearing up for Christmas and New Year’s. And while most people are taking it easy during these months and appreciating the holidays, there are people that are still out there looking to buy their next home. In fact, if you’ve been considering putting your home up for sale, it might behoove you to go ahead and do so.
Here are the things you should consider when deciding whether to go ahead and list your home.
Less Competition:
The winter and holiday season could be a great time to list your home because some people would prefer to sell their home in the Spring. And that means few homes on the market and a smaller inventory. Depending on where you live, it can be cold and it can get dark before you get off work. People are less likely to sign up for boxing belongings, allowing strangers to come through their home all times of day and finding a new place to buy or move to themselves. Companies do fewer relocations in the winter months which eliminates those home sellers and people plan and schedule family vacations for this time of year. It’s hard to go home shopping when you’re out of town visiting in-laws and other relatives.
Serious Buyers:
Complementing the concept of less competition is the idea that the buyers that are out right now looking at homes are serious buyers. You’re less likely to have the looky-loos and the people out touring homes or open houses in Winter months. It’s cold. It’s rainy. It’s dark. So buyers who are out looking for homes in the winter are typically pre approved, ready to go and highly motivated for one reason or another. Buyers willing to put themselves through the process of purchasing a home during the holidays are usually going to see it through. In fact, they may even try to close earlier or make concessions favorable to the sellers so they can get in for the holidays. Buyers who want to be “in the house by Christmas” are going to push the Realtor, Lender and Attorney to make it happen.
Staging:
One aspect of selling your home in the winter time that gets overlooked is how your home looks in the Winter and specifically during the holiday season. Seeing a home staged for the holidays can actually persuade home buyers to pull the trigger on a home. If they walk in and your home has a cozy and festive atmosphere, it could enable the buyers to envision themselves there and even encourage them to buy the home.
You’re Ready to Buy:
Removing a contingency is a big deal. If you’re in a market that is highly competitive, you know that having a contingent offer likely results in the sellers going with another offer. If you have already sold your house in the Winter, you are ready to go when Spring and Summer gets here. You’ll likely have a nice down payment, some debt paid off and most importantly, no contingency on your offer when you find your dream home.