At this time of year I am often asked the same question, “Should I sell my house now or just wait until spring?”
Any season of the year can be a good time to sell, but there are actually many advantages to selling your home during the winter months. Below are some common misconceptions:
It is too cold; no one wants to look at houses in the snow: Serious buyers are willing to trek through the cold and snow to view homes. This means that the quality of potential buyers has increased over those ‘looking’ during the summer months.
No one is looking for houses in the winter time: This is plainly not true. There may be fewer people looking to buy. However, the ones who are looking are more serious. There may be fewer property visits during the cold months but the ones who are willing to drag their Realtor out in the winter must be pretty serious. Wouldn't you rather have less traffic if they are more serious buyers?
Another point to consider is that with lower inventory during this time of year it means less competition in the housing market. During the spring there are going to be a lot more homes to compete against. I would rather be a big fish in a smaller pond, than a small fish in a big pond full of other fish.
I can't decorate my house for Christmas: I disagree. I say, don't just put out your Christmas decorations, go all out. Make your home the best decorated house on the block. A house can look truly beautiful, warm, and inviting during the holidays. In case you didn’t know, many buyers desire to be in a new home by Christmas.
(Another idea would be to put some lights around the ‘For Sale’ sign too.)
I like to invite friends over for holiday parties: I can't do that if my house is for sale. Are you kidding? This is the perfect opportunity to showcase your home to a large group of people. Don't just invite a few people over - host the Christmas party. Your friends might not be in the market to buy a home, but they many know people who are looking and are ready to buy.
If we don't sell the house over the winter, it will appear stale in the spring: This might be true but there are tricks you can do to lessen the impact. The most effective change you can make is to adjust the price. If the house was listed all winter and it didn't sell, the chances are the price is too high. Have a price adjustment, even if it is just a small one. Also, update the listing photos. Most likely the original pictures were taken with leafless trees and plants without flowers. Your house will look drastically different with some fresh blossoms and updated landscaping.
If you want to sell your home during the winter feel free to give me a call at 250-981-5580 for a market analysis and consultation.
