It’s time to sell your home, but the holiday season is coming up. You might think it’s a terrible time to list your home. People are busy with holiday prepping and planning to buy a house. But there are quite a few reasons why selling during the holidays is actually a GOOD thing!
Winter Months Have Lower Housing Inventory
Most people wait until the spring to list their homes for sale, which increases housing inventory as the weather warms up. So, there is not much competition if you list your home during the winter months, particularly around the holidays. Serious home buyers won’t have as many homes to choose from. This can work to your advantage! You may even be able to score a higher asking price!
Also, if you have someone interested in touring your home between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, chances are they are truly a serious buyer on a time crunch. If your home attracts a serious buyer, you may be able to sell your home quickly!
End-Of-Year Tax Breaks And Job Transfers
Many people don’t think about the end-of-year job transfers when they delay listing their homes during the winter months. People on a deadline to move for a new job transfer may be serious buyers ready to purchase during the holiday winter months.
Did you know that buyers can deduct their mortgage interest, property taxes, and the interest costs of their loans if the sale closes on or before December 31st? A smart buyer may be house hunting during the holidays to reduce their property tax bill!
Moving Day
Another advantage of selling your home during the holidays is that you may have more time for packing and moving. With kids on a long winter break, time off for the holidays, you and your buyer may have that advantage of the perfect timing for moving day.
Tips For Selling Your Home During The Holiday
If you’ve decided to list your home for sale during the holiday season, HGTV has some great tips for you.
Festive neighborhoods and cheerfully decorated homes can be inviting for potential buyers. While you don’t want to overdo it on the holiday decor, you can play this to your advantage. Show those potential buyers what a beautiful home they can have for entertaining. Have a fire going, and leave beverages and cookies for your open house. Simmer some apple cider with mulling spices on the stove before showings to make your home smell deliciously inviting. Display wintery centerpieces made from pine codes and evergreens with candles. Consider hiring a professional home staging service to make your home look its best with a flair of holiday cheer!
Hiring a listing agent can help you price the home to sell and target those buyers who are on a deadline and motivated to purchase quickly. You can also create a video tour of your home and take professional real estate photos to post online. During the winter months, buyers may not want to take physical tours but opt for virtual tours when house-hunting. If you live in an area where snow is on the ground and your curb appeal is lacking, be sure to post some photos of your home during the spring and summer months when your flowers are in bloom.
Ready, Get Set, SELL
If you are ready to sell now, why not give it a shot? You will face less competition, find motivated buyers, and maybe even have a faster sale at a higher asking price! If your house doesn’t sell during the holiday, just remember that the new year is right around the corner!
If you are a seller in the DFW area and have questions about the process, contact us for more tips!
