Many people think that the winter season is the worst time to buy a home. The colder temperatures and snowfall are not ideal moving-in weather, and everyone is busy planning parties, buying gifts, and getting into the holiday spirit.
A lot of that is just a misconception, though. Holidays can be a fantastic time to buy that dream home you’ve always wanted. There’s nothing like cozying up to loved ones, and welcoming the new year in a new home!
Here are some tips on why holiday house shopping is an excellent idea:
There isn’t much competition
The best reason to buy is the same reason other people caution you not to buy at this time of year. It leads to fewer buyers and more options for you. You can get access to the home you might never have seen at another time of the year.
You have more chances to buy a house that fits your needs perfectly.
Lower prices
Since the holiday season is low on buyers, the sellers tend to lower prices more easily, too. It’s simple economics–lower demand and higher supply effects lower prices.
For a motivated buyer like you, it’s one of the best times to find a steal on that dream home you’ve been eyeing.
Sales close faster
It’s the holiday season, and everyone would rather be enjoying it than selling (or working). Sellers want to sell their property quickly, and agents want to include the sale on their year-end quotas. Lenders also want to have the loan written onto that year’s books.
What this ultimately means is everyone is motivated to sell–quickly. It results in faster transactions, fewer negotiations, and less time until you acquire a wonderful new home.
Year-end sales on furniture
The holiday season also coincides with a plethora of furniture stores offering exciting deals on tables, chairs, and other items you might need for your new home. For December buyers, it creates a veritable bonanza of great steals!
Cheaper homes and cheaper stuff also mean less to spend on furnishing your new home. Merry Christmas to you!
Highly motivated sellers
People who are selling their homes during the holiday season have a valid reason for their timing usually. Maybe they’re in a hurry to relocate to a new city, or perhaps they have a new job coming up at the start of the following year.
You can use this knowledge as leverage for a better deal with the seller of the home. A smaller pool of buyers means that sellers would also be amenable to accepting a lower price, depending on the reason they’re selling the house.
Contact Team Couch at any time of the year for more tips on buying and selling a home successfully.