Winter is and always has been a historically slow time for real estate. It’s cold outside, and people generally don’t like trooping through the snow and ice to check out houses. Sellers are less likely to list, and buyers less likely to buy, because who wants to deal with closing during one of the busiest times of the year? Nevermind the thought of moving during the holidays. It’s little wonder that sales slow to a crawl through November and December.
That, however, is an outdated mode of thinking. It turns out that the holidays can actually be a great time to sell your home. The so-called “Christmas curse” is not a thing. The following are some splendid reasons why you should go for it and list your Northern Virginia home over the holidays.
1. Fewer Competing Listings
First of all, with dramatically-less other homes for sale, your listing will automatically stand out. The field of competition is slimmer. Your neighbors, who may be unwilling to maintain a house in showing condition during the holidays, won’t be putting their homes for sale. And this means that interested buyers will be much more likely to see YOUR listing!
2. Homes Show Well Over Christmas
There’s also the fact that, at this time of year, your house is probably cozy and warm with festive holiday decorations. This can tap into buyers’ nostalgia, and help them imagine their own holiday traditions taking place under that roof. Make sure that the decor falls under the “merry” banner and not “overkill,” however!
3. Kids are Home So Families Can Shop
Although it is the holiday season, it is also a time when children are out of school, and it is a known fact that buyers tend to shop for homes when their kids are on break. Less chance of missing school and no pickup scheduled into the daily plan means that buyers have more time to shop around. This is only a win for you.
4. Motivated Buyers Close Faster
Lastly, an attractive element of selling a home over the holidays is that sales tend to close faster, which benefits both buyers and sellers. Why is this? Once again, there are fewer home sales going through, meaning that title companies and banks are less swamped with multiple sales to sift through. Being one of the few buyers to take advantage of the holiday can, again, be a good thing.
In short, reconsider waiting until after Christmas to list your home for sale. While it’s true that fewer people are selling homes in December, this can ultimately be a positive thing for your family and your own home sale!
