Are you thinking about listing your home this fall? Let’s talk about the pros and cons that come along with selling during the holiday season. I often hear soon-to-be-sellers saying they want to wait until after the new year, and rightfully so! Listing, selling and moving during the craziness that is the holidays does not sound appealing to me either! However, if you are considering a move let’s go over the pros and cons before you write off the task of selling during the holidays.
Pros:
1. Buyers are serious. Buyers looking for a home during the holiday season are usually serious about getting under contract, or else they’d put it off. Often, they are starting a new job at the beginning of the year, or they want to get their children registered in school by the end of the holiday break, or maybe they want the tax break in the current year. Regardless of their reasons, if they are out looking in November or December, they are serious buyers.
2. There are not as many homes on the market. As a seller, you benefit from having fewer homes on the market to compete with. Less inventory combined with serious buyers means sellers get higher offers.
3. You can take advantage of holiday season curb appeal. While it’s recommended that you not over-decorate while showing your home, you can take advantage of the warm and festive vibes that holiday decorations add. Some white twinkle lights, a wreath on the door, and poinsettias lining your porch can add just the right cozy and inviting feel to win over buyers.
4. Cooler weather may invigorate buyers. The only thing worse than house hunting in the dead of summer is moving and unpacking in the dead of summer. On the other hand, the cooler temperatures of the holiday season may fuel buyers’ desire to get out on the hunt.
Cons:
1. You won’t have as many lookers. We noted that buyers shopping during the holidays are serious ones, but there will definitely be fewer buyers looking than later in the New Year.
2. Showing your home may be more inconvenient. Again, it’s a busy time of year for most families, so do consider the inconvenience of having showings while you are preparing for the holidays or enjoying time off from school or work.
Hopefully this sheds some light on if Fall is the right time for you to sell. If you’re ready to start looking at homes, click here to search all homes currently listed on the MLS. Shoot me a message for a free home evaluation or to further chat if it’s best for you to wait until the new year or hit the market this fall!
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