Should You Sell During the Holiday Season?

Traditional school of thought dictates that selling a home during the holidays is a bad idea. People are busy celebrating with their families and will hardly go shopping for a home, right? Not so! There are numerous advantages to listing a home during this season and below are ten great reasons to put a home on the market now.  
This is all courtesy my good friend Brad Korb, a top selling Realtor in Burbank, California who came up with this list.  In my 25 years of selling homes in Tracy, I can agree that this has always been a good time to sell a house in our market.

1. More serious buyers – Less time wasted These are people who are interested in buying so there is a far greater chance of actually selling the property.  Nothing is more promising to a seller than a motivated and qualified buyer that knows what they want and is actively seeking to get it.
2. Fewer Homes On the Market The less competition there is, the higher the chance there is for homes on the market to sell. Where during the peak season sellers might be dealing with some interest from buyers on their home, nonetheless there is more selection for buyers to choose from and they can stray to another property.
3. In January Inventory Increases – Chances of Selling Decreases With so many homeowners assuming the holidays is a taboo time to sell there is a plethora of new listings in January, resulting in a diminished chance of your home selling.  Also, there is a risk that the price you may receive on the home can be less.
4. Decked Halls Look Great Homes are very appealing to prospective buyers when they are decorated for the holidays.  With all the festive décor, lights, greenery and added beauty of the season – the home shows very well and attracts buyers faster than if shown during other times of the year.
5. More Time To Browse Homes Buyers have extra time off from work and are on vacation, which translates to a more aggressive buying pattern and more chances of your home being viewed.
6. More Emotional Buyers Because of the high stress of the holidays, buyers tend to be more emotional during this time than in the summer months. A more emotional buyer will tend to pay more for a new property, so selling your home during the holidays could make you more money.
7. Show The Home With Flexibility Sellers that have their home listed prior to the holidays have the added advantage to be able to “pause” the process so they can celebrate the holidays, essentially not showing the home during a period of time during the break.  When the festivities die down, things can pick up again and the seller has not only managed to save potentially lost time but can also jump right back into the market.
8. Transferred Employees January is typically the month where employees are transferred into new position. In order to capture this demographic of buyers, your home must be on the market since these buyers cannot wait until the spring to buy.
9. Sell Now For More Money Then Delay Closing. Extended occupancy can be negotiated, leaving both parties the leniency to get through the holiday season and past the New Year so that all sides can rest assured the deal is done but it can follow through at a more convenient time.  For sellers this option is great because they are able to secure a higher selling price on the property before the market is inundated with new listings come January when the selling values drop.
10. Fewer Foreclosures On the Market  Many banks will suspend foreclosure listing during this time of year, especially on properties where there are still families occupying the home.  As a result of this, some of the competition that arises for sellers from low-priced foreclosures can be avoided during the holidays. Keep in mind that the idea of your home’s value increasing significantly over the next several months is a myth.  The truth is that housing values likely only go up when consumer income rises. Pay rates increase at a rate of three to five percent each year and that is about the maximum yearly increase we can expect to see in a home as well. So if you are wondering whether or not to put your home on the selling market now, or to wait – one important factor is that waiting will not provide much benefit.