1. There's Less Housing Inventory During Winter
Conventional wisdom says people should wait until the spring to get the most from a home sale. After all, inventory normally picks up in the spring as the weather gets warmer. In fact, there are plenty of homes listed around the holidays that may command more money, even if the inventory is limited. Serious buyers won't have an endless list of homes from which to choose, so there's more time for them to focus on yours.
2. Winter Buyers Are More Serious
If your house is up for sale in the winter and someone is looking at it, chances are that person is serious and ready to buy. Anyone shopping for a new home between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is likely going to be a serious buyer—they aren’t going to spend their precious time around the holidays seeing how the other half lives.
3. That Warm and Cozy Feeling
The holidays are often a time when people gather around fireplaces, drink hot chocolate, and bake cakes and cookies. Homeowners who put their houses up for sale during the winter months can stage their house to give off the comfy and homey vibe that appeals to many buyers.
4. Festive Neighborhoods Are Inviting
One of the staples of the holiday months is that many people adorn their homes with festive lights and decorations. That is also true of local communities where lit-up snowflakes and wreaths can be found on lampposts up and down the main streets.
People purchasing a home during the holidays may see the neighborhood in a different light—more festive and cheerful—and may be more willing to consider an area that they may have been on the fence about.
5. Year-End Job Transfers
Another good reason is timing. The end of the year is typically the time when people get notified they will be moving because of a job transfer, or perhaps an offer comes through from another company that's just too good to pass up.
Those people are going to need a home sooner rather than later and, as a result, they'll be hunting for a new home during the holidays.
6. End-of-Year Tax Breaks
Serious buyers make a move during the holidays because they can deduct the mortgage interest, property taxes, and interest costs of the loan if a sale closes as well as closing fees on or before December 31. New tax laws limit the deduction, of course, but the tax benefits could still prompt a buyer to move during the holidays instead of waiting until spring.
Call us today. The Whit Harvey team can help you get ready to sell your home.