Pros & Cons of Selling During the Holidays

If you’re thinking about listing your home this fall, you might be concerned about showing it, and possibly having to move, over the holiday season. The holidays are already a busy time of year for most families, so you would be right to wonder if you are making a good decision by marketing your home between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Some sellers even temporarily take their homes off the market during the holiday season, but before you make that choice, consider all the pros and cons of selling during this festive time of year.

(No matter what time of year you’re considering putting your home on the market, right NOW is the time to start planning for maximum profits. Download your 10 Seller Tips That Make Bank HERE)

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. 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.

4. Holiday weekends are PERFECT for house hunting. Out-of-town buyers (and in-town buyers too) take advantage of the Veterans Day & Thanksgiving weekends for their fall searches.

Cons:

1. You won’t have as many lookers. We noted that buyers shopping during the holidays are serious ones, but there tend to be fewer buyers looking than earlier in the 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 preparing for the holidays or enjoying time off from school or work.

3. Business closings may slow down transactions. Many businesses have shortened hours or holiday closings, so you or your buyers might have delays scheduling inspections and appraisals, closing, or completing repairs.

If you are wondering if this is the right time for you to make your next move, then it’s definitely time for us to talk! Book your appointment HERE, call me directly at 919-869-6990, or email chrysti@chrystiandco.com to discuss your goals in today’s market.