Why I Suggest You Sell Your Home in the Winter

The cold is biting, the snow may be swirling and it’s the most wonderful time of the year ... to sell your home? A question I get every year is “should we even consider selling in the winter?"  If you think that Buyers are only occupied with presents and celebrating holidays, it’s actually not true.

Before you nix the idea of listing your home in the winter, here are my top Real Estate Benefits of Winter Selling:

1. The amount of listings decrease, which means less competition for your home. You’ll be the prime real estate for sale in your area. Real Estate Agents will be excited to find their Buyers their perfect new home.

2. With so many Buyers out there clamoring for a new home (and not enough inventory for sale), you could sell your home faster and for more money. Once the spring arrives, Real Estate Agents will be listing homes all at once and there’ll be more choice for these Buyers.

3. Of course there will be Buyers on holidays, but the ones who are looking for real estate are the most motivated and incredibly serious. When it’s 5:00 pm, dark and freezing outside, they’re not just checking out your property for the fun of it. They ‘want to buy a new home!'

4. Many Buyers have to wait until the end of the year to collect their bonuses which put them in the position to securely purchase a home now.

5. National and multi-national corporations normally transfer their employees in January and February. Buyers who are relocating usually need to buy a home immediately – they can’t wait.

6. Real Estate Agents love showing their Buyers homes that are warm and toasty and maybe even decorated for the holidays. A roaring fireplace, if you have one, is such a welcoming invitation.

7. Many companies give their employees time off during the holidays and the months of January and February. These Buyers have the time to look.

8. While all the malls and stores are packed with shoppers before and after the holidays, mortgage brokers and financial institutions are not as busy so mortgage loans can be processed more quickly.

9. There are huge sales on appliances and hardware, more so than at any other time of the year. Buyers can purchase these, before closing, saving themselves a great deal of money.

10. As your Real Estate Agent, the closing date can be negotiated to make sure you’ve found your new home too! There will be a great deal of choice for you once spring arrives. Or maybe, just maybe, an owner will list their property in the winter and it will be the perfect new one for you too!