The Pros And Cons of Selling Your Home During The Holiday Season

The season during which you choose to sell your home is crucial. It can impact how long it’s on the market and how much you can earn from the sale. In the real estate industry, spring is usually the most popular time to list your home. Use this to your advantage! Between Christmas shopping and travel plans, most people prefer not to be troubled with selling a home during the holidays. However, low inventory could mean more eyes on your property.

Read on to learn house selling tips and the advantages and disadvantages of selling your home around the holidays.

Why You Might Want To Sell During the Holidays

Selling your home during the holidays is no easy task. Winter is one of the busiest seasons of the year, so it’s common for people to put selling their homes at the bottom of their to-do list. This explains why house sales drop throughout the winter months. But if you can’t wait until the weather breaks, most real estate agents are mindful of the current market. Some are even willing to work around the clock to fight the trend and market your property. And with the right strategies, you could end up with a closing.

If you’re still uncertain about selling your property during the holidays, consider the benefits below to help you make your decision.

Less Competition

Traditionally, homeowners will list their property during the spring – when the weather gets warmer. Giving the housing market a boost in inventory. When inventory is higher, homes in a great area can sit on the real estate market for weeks without getting noticed by potential buyers. Luckily, house hunters buy homes throughout the year and there’s low inventory during the holidays. Fewer homes translates to less competition, meaning potential buyers will have a small list of homes to choose from and your property could be at the very top of their list.

Winter Home Buyers Are More Serious

Anyone wanting to purchase a home between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is most likely eager to buy. They're not going to waste their valuable time wandering in open houses for the sake of looking. They’re motivated to purchase a home and they want to do it soon. For that reason, listing at the end of the year can attract serious house hunters. So, you might want to consider hiring a dependable real estate agent to increase the traffic of motivated buyers.

Room For Negotiation

Between the seller’s market and the low inventory during the holidays, homeowners have the leg up. Reduced inventory can mean that you might experience a bidding war, which can create opportunities to demand a higher asking price.

Cons of Selling Your Home In the Winter

Although selling your home in the winter can be beneficial, the process comes with obstacles. Many bankers, real estate and title agents usually take time off around the holidays, which can be challenging when trying to close a sale. But let’s discuss other cons that go along with selling your home in the winter months.

Listing Your Home During The Holidays Can Be Messy

Depending on the day, winter can bring rain, snow and even hail. During your open house, homebuyers can track snow and dirt from the outdoors as they wander throughout your home. And this isn’t pleasant to clean. Consider providing complimentary shoe covers to make your clean-up session easier. This can help your property be show-ready by lessening the amount of mud in your home.

Expect The Closing To Be Delayed

Keep in mind, your house may still be on the real estate market due to businesses decreasing their hours and closing on holidays. This can affect both you and the buyer, as far as escrow payments, scheduled appraisals, closing the sale along with other factors.

Your Heating Bill Might Rise

As potential home buyers walk in and out of your home, they might not be aware that they’re leaving the door open. After all, they’re not paying the heating bill, you are. Sadly, little can be done since house hunters need to back and forth to see the curb appeal of the home and other features.

Decreased Buyers

We have gone over that house sales increase in the spring, so even though there are more serious buyers in the winter. There will be fewer of them since winter is not a traditional season to purchase a home.

6 Home Staging Tips for The Holidays

If you do decide to list your home during the holidays, you may want to think about how you’ll stage it. Make sure your decor is tasteful and keep in mind that Christmas isn’t the only prominent holiday. As a seller, it might be best to scale down on the decorations. Keep reading for more winter décor ideas that are refined, yet still inviting. 

Create a Cozy Living Space

The easiest way to make a living room feel cozier is to add layers. This can include knit blankets, throw pillows, velvet, an accent wall or adding faux fur.

If your style is on the minimalist side, you can layer different materials with the same color family. If you’re looking for more vibrancy, consider incorporating various colors and patterns into your layers. 

Add Greenery

Greenery such as wreaths, garlands or trees can add a natural element to your cozy environment. If you want to emphasize natural elements without being too festive, look for pieces that don’t have Christmas ornaments on them. This will also make your space look more wintery, rather than Christmassy.

Deck The Halls With A Hot Cocoa Or Coffee Station

If you’re hosting an open house, consider adding a hot cocoa cart. This can be filled with peppermint sticks, marshmallows and packs of cocoa – just don’t forget about the coffee maker or hot water kettle. Holding a warm beverage helps potential buyers embrace the holiday spirit.

Add Warmth

Being that the winter is cold, we naturally want to get warm. A quick way to create a sense of warmth is to add fire. You can achieve this by lighting your fireplace or a holiday-scented candle. If you don’t’ have a fireplace or if your fireplace isn’t functioning, create coziness by displaying pillar candles inside of the fireplace or on a tablespace.

Spruce Up Your Interior With A Fresh Coat Of Paint

Holidays or not, adding a layer of fresh paint can tidy up your space. So, think about painting your walls a neutral color to help blend in your holiday accents. Depending on the work that needs to be done, painting your home can be the least expensive way to decorate for the holidays. Be sure that the color is consistent throughout the home, so home buyers aren't distracted by electric colors and can focus on the features of the home.

The Bottom Line

When you list your home during the holiday season, be prepared for serious buyers and less competition, along with some drawbacks. Although sales trickle down, there is still room for potential home sellers to close on a deal. You can even make your home more appealing by establishing a warm and cozy environment, which isn’t common during the spring.

If you’re still thinking about selling your home during the holidays? Get help from a Verified Partner Agent today.