Are the holidays really the best time to sell or buy a home?
This year is a unique year in many ways. Many of us are wondering how to navigate on many levels. To sell a home or buy a home may be one of the last things on your mind right now but the holidays may be the time to re-consider. I personally have fond memories of my first home bought during the holidays. No doubt anxiety enters in around the closing time, but overall, it does invite a warm feeling of starting a new life in a New Year! How many of us now hope for a much brighter year in 2021?
5 reasons to sell:
- Inventory is low, so you may be able to command a higher price.
- Buyers tend to be more determined to find a home during the holidays.
- You can easily create an emotional connection for buyers with your charming holiday decor.
- The holidays may be a time for potential buyers to seek job transfers and end-of-year tax breaks.
- Faster closing:
Home sellers aren’t the only motivated folks involved in the home buying process during the holiday months. Lenders, brokers, realtors — even inspectors — are often motivated to get a deal done before the end of the year.
This can bring welcome focus and speed to a process that can take longer in non-holiday months. Most parties involved in a home buying transaction have incentives to finalize the deal as soon as possible. Lenders want to close their books, agents want their commission, and sellers want to, frankly, move on.
The key, as with many things in life, is communication. Speak with agents and lenders as far in advance as possible to find out exactly when individuals you depend on to complete a deal are “on the clock.” Though there are few true “off-days” during the holidays, this doesn’t mean there aren’t other internal demands folks needed to close out a real estate deal.
Respect the time constraints of the other parties involved in your real estate transaction, and you might just find a grateful (if not speedy) resolution to your deal.
A Few Tips for Selling your home from HGTV:
- Deck the halls, but don’t go overboard.
Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be careful not to overdo it on the decor. Adornments that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Also, avoid offending buyers by opting for general fall and winter decorations rather than items with religious themes. - Hire a reliable real estate agent.
That means someone who will work hard for you and won’t disappear during Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s. Perfect opportunity to mention the Dias Team! We will go above and beyond to get your home sold. This will ease your stress and give you more time to enjoy the season. - Make curb appeal a top priority.
When autumn rolls around and the trees start to lose their leaves, maintaining the exterior of your home becomes even more important. Bare trees equal a more exposed home, so touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Keep buyers’ safety in mind as well by making sure stairs and walkways are free of snow, ice and leaves.
Well, we’ve covered a lot of information and hope it brings some valuable tips on how to sell a home or buy a home during the holidays. If you are interested in buying a home in Rhode Island or Southeastern Massachusetts view our featured properties page. Now go out there and buy a house for that tree you’ve been thinking about.
Looks like our realtor Yaitza Mitchell has found an awesome tree! The Dias Team is there to help make this holiday a special one!
