Why should you list your home during the holidays?

 How many of you would think that the holiday season is the wrong time to list your home for sale? This is a common misconception that we see among home owners, and I wanted to provide you the top 10 reasons why listing during December is a smart move.  If you are committed to selling your home, it can be an excellent time.  Most buyers that will be looking at your property during the holidays are often pre-approved by their lender, and tend to be more serious buyers that we see other times.  The reason behind this comes down to motivation.  Buyers during December often have a different motivation like using vacation time to search for property.  They're doing that because they have to buy, rather than want to buy.  Time is of the essence to these types of buyers, rather than someone who is thinking about buying but may not have a definite time frame for their purchase.

10 reasons why you should list your home during the holidays:

1. Most December and early January buyers are particularly serious and very likely facing some sort of deadline.

2. January is the biggest transfer month of the year and job transfers use the holidays to house hunt.

3. Many people want to buy before the end of the year for financial and tax reasons.  Investors usually want to close by year-end for tax purposes.

4. Most sellers wait until spring or summer to list their home.  This means that during the winter months your property will have far less competition versus any other time of the year.

5. Homes show well when decorated for the holidays creating a sense of family and people are much more emotionally drawn to the house, emotion sells.

6. Many people take vacation around the holidays allowing more time to look for a home.

7. Remodeling, decorating, appliance installation and other services are more available and at less of a premium.

8. There is plenty of mortgage money available for buyers.

9. Lenders aren't as busy and can process mortgage loans faster.

10. Showings will be fewer and less intrusive, but more likely to be fruitful with motivated, qualified buyers.

It does not appear that interest rates will be rising drastically anytime in the near future, so a buyer can certainly take advantage of the competitive rates that are advertised - whether it be for a variable rate or a rate that is locked in for say, five years.  As mentioned above, mortgage lenders are often able to deal with a mortgage request faster during the holidays as there are not as many transactions.

Showing your home during the holiday season should be a pleasant experience, but do decorate modestly! Ensure that your decorations do not overpower the rooms.  For sellers, it is important that your decorations do not hide or detract from selling features in your home.  If you have a floor-to-ceiling river rock fireplace, I would encourage you not to place the Christmas tree in front of the fireplace. Keep it simple.  Decorate your tree, but if you find that the tree actually makes your home look smaller, maybe select a smaller tree this season to free up the space.  Placing a small amount of decorations such as candles or centerpiece inside, or a simple wreath or swag on your front door will welcome potential buyers and create a positive first impression.  Less is more with the exterior decorations!!

If you are serious about selling your home, and want a FREE comprehensive market evaluation of your property, contact us today at 250-386-8181 or email us at ronneal@remax.net

We look forward to speaking with you.