Selling During the Holidays

Who’s to say what conventional wisdom is nowadays: Take the house off the market before Thanksgiving.  No one buys a house during the holidays.  We’ll relist right after the New Year, and maybe we’ll reduce the price then.

Humbug.  I know we’ve already stepped into November, and the family calendar is starting to fill in for the rest of the year.  There’s Thanksgiving dinner to plan for, and Christmas or Chanukah or other religious celebrations that involve travel, and shopping, and decorating, and cleaning.  Then there’s the office holiday party, and don’t forget about the kids finishing the semester strong at school…

There are a million little excuses not to sell your home during the holidays.  Here are a few very compelling reasons to buck the trend and sell your home during the happiest time of the year:

1. Buyers buy during the holidays.  People who write an offer on a home during the holidays are serious about purchasing.  Businesses relocate people during slow times, and transferees have windows (sometimes small windows) of opportunity to find a home during holiday vacation time.  Remember, January is the busiest month for job transfers.
2. Your house is clean and decorated.  Whether you’re having guests over for dinner, hosting the office holiday gathering, or Grandma and Grandpa are coming to stay for a week, you’re already planning to clean house and decorate for the holidays.  Showings are fewer and less intrusive, but the buyers are serious.  With holiday decorations done right buyers easily picture themselves living in your home creating their very own holiday memories.
3. Less Competition.  Makes sense, huh?  There are still those who will take the home off the market only to come back again in January or February.  Your sticking with it during November and December can kick start a very happy New Year for your family.

For more home selling tips for our Northwest Indiana friends, family and neighbors click our links!