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Winter may be
the most wonderful time of the year, but the
holiday months can be anything but miraculous
for sellers with property on the market.
Traditionally the real estate world slows down
significantly from early November through the
beginning of January, and often sellers are the
ones left in the lurch.
Winter Sellers:
Disadvantages
Bad
weather: Potential homebuyers are only
human, so naturally winter's stormier conditions
can convince many consumers to stay indoors.
Shorter days: Most buyers prefer to view
homes in the full light of day, even when
casually looking at houses and neighborhoods by
car. With fewer daylight hours in the winter,
homebuyers are usually limited to weekends for
in-person showings.
Busy schedules: Time is at an absolute
premium during a season of shopping for
presents, attending holiday parties and
traveling to visit relatives. Most people don't
feel they can spare time during these months to
shop for homes or plan the move to a new home.
Winter Sellers: Advantages
Smaller
Housing Inventory: Because the holidays are
traditionally slower selling season and sellers
are just as busy as buyers at this time of year,
few homes are put on the market towards the end
of the year. In addition, many previously listed
properties are taken off the market as a
temporary measure. While the number of active
buyers is lower during the winter, sellers also
face less competition.
Serious Buyers: People who are willing to
rearrange their holiday schedule and brave the
elements to shop for a home in general tend to
be motivated, serious buyers. In many cases
buyers at this time of year are invigorated by
the promise of impending year-end bonuses. The
demands of the season in large part also
eliminate false alarms casual buyers from who
are "just looking".
Tips
Target
Those Rare Winter Buyers: When buyers are
harder to come by, you have to work harder to
attract their attention and do more to meet
their needs:
- Make sure
your home is well marketed on the Internet
with plenty of photos and virtual tours, as
buyers will spend more time browsing
properties from the comfort of their own
home.
- Hold open
houses on weekends whenever possible.
Consider an evening open house event,
providing coffee and light fare to those who
attend.
- Be
flexible with your scheduling and
requirements for showing the home to
interested buyers
Improve
Visibility: Make sure your home is well lit
in the evenings and is not obscured by low
hanging branches or foliage.
Update your Comparative Market Analysis:
Even if you've previously obtained a market
analysis, you may want updated information that
factors in the seasonal slowing of real estate
sales.
Presentation: Because it is holiday
season, homebuyers may look at your home and try
to imagine it as the setting for their own
holiday celebrations. Make sure your home is
warm and inviting without going overboard (no
need to buy the biggest tree and the most lavish
decorations available).
Lower the Price: No one wants to think
that they've overvalued their home, but a price
adjustment may be necessary if selling your home
promptly is one of your goals.
Source...Remax.com
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