11 Reasons Your Seller Should List During the Holiday Season

You’ve heard it from real estate agents before. “The Winter season is slow.” Or, “No one is really buying or selling.” And even, “I’ll get started in the New Year, it’s a new start right?”

Wrong. The truth is, it’s better to be ahead than behind. Do you want to have income in January? Do you want to have clients in the pipeline well into February? The winter months are the perfect opportunity for you to find the motivated clients and get them to list their home with you.

Of course, sellers sometimes need a little perspective to help them understand why listing now can benefit their bottom line. So without further adieu, here are 11 reasons your seller should list during the Holiday Season.

11. By selling now, you may have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer during the Spring, when many more houses are on the market for less money! This will allow you to sell high and buy low.

10. You can sell now for more money and we will provide for a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early next year.

9. Even though your house will be on the market, you still have the option to restrict showings during the six or seven days around the Holidays.

8. January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transfers cannot wait until Spring to buy, you need to be on the market during the Holidays to capture the market.

7. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons.

6. Buyers have more time to look for a home during the Holidays than they do during a work week.

5. Buyers are more emotional during the Holidays, so they are more likely to pay your price.

4. Houses show better when decorated for the Holidays.

3. Since the supply of listings will dramatically increase in January, there will be less demand for your particular home. Less demand means more money for you.

2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the Holidays and less competition means more money for you.

And the number one reason why your seller should list during the Holidays …

1. People who look for homes during the Holidays are more serious buyers!

Sell Your Property Faster With These 5 Important Steps

Start Your Move Before You Call the Realtor©

If you are fortunate enough to know ahead of time that you will need to list your property, the time to start staging your house to quick sell is before you call your Realtor©. You want your house to look its absolute best before your Realtor© steps foot in the house to determine sale price and take those all-important photos for the internet. According to Century 21, “A house that has been better maintained and shows better will always sell for more than one that has had deferred (neglected) maintenance and needs work.”

Start With a Clean Slate

So where do you start to stage your house before the Realtor© arrives? You start by breaking up with your clutter and sending it packing. This decluttering and pre-packing is your most important step in staging your house for a quick sell. If you are an avid collector, pack away most of your collections leaving only 3-5 of your favorite items from your collection for display. This is a great time to go through closets, drawers, basements and shed items that you haven’t used in the past year. Don’t forget to declutter your walls too. And the great thing is, many non-profit organizations, like Goodwill, the Salvation Army and Purple Heart will even come to your house and pick up your items for you. How easy is that?

Reorganize

Because so many buyers are watching design shows on HGTV, they expect perfection. Yes, even in your linen closet. By doing so, you will give buyers the impression that they will live an organized, peaceful existence. Take the time to make your closets and storage spaces look immaculate and you will definitely see a return on your investment.

Repair

Now is the time to finally get that to-do list accomplished! Sometimes it is shocking how little time, energy and effort is involved in those odd jobs around the house. For bigger jobs, you may need to bring in a professional. If you cannot afford to repair something, get a few estimates of your own. Remember, savvy buyers today will walk through your home deducting the cost of repairs that they think the house will need and I promise you that their estimate will always be higher than the actual cost. By getting your own estimates, you can counter this more effectively. Knowledge truly is power!

Renew

Breathe new life into your rooms. Are your windows, walls, flooring or bedding outdated? If they are more than ten years old, then that is a mandatory and resounding YES! There are so many reasonable and good looking options in stores like Target, Bed Bath and Beyond & Lowes. Treat yourself to a nice, quick sale by investing in making some of these inexpensive updates.

This may seem overwhelming but breaking it into small, manageable steps can make it easier. Enlist the help of family, friends or professionals. Your house is most likely your biggest investment and you want it to sell quickly and for the most money possible so why wouldn’t you want it to look its absolute best when it hits the market?