Homes For The Holidays

Once upon a time, real estate was thought to slow down as the new year approached, giving way to hot cocoa and flurries of snow. These days, we know better, and when winter comes around, it’s also time to buy or sell your house. So grab your mug, sit down by a fire and find out why now is the season of homes for the holidays!

  • Twinkling with holiday lights, your house will shine bright to eager buyers looking for their perfect home.
  • Temperature isn’t the only thing dropping this winter; mortgage rates are near historic lows.
  • Homes are new beginnings for buyers & sellers. When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, sellers will want to start fresh and buyers will want to be all settled into their new home.
  • Serious buyers are out. Your home won’t be subject to casual window shoppers, (they’re too busy at the mall).
  • Buyers have extra time off from work, which means more hours in their day to search for a home.
  • January is typically the month when employees are transferred to new positions. To capture these buyers, your home must be on the market now because they often cannot wait until the spring to move.

Keep in mind that you are in control of your home. If you are going to have family or friends visiting simply create blackout dates when your home is not available to be shown. Don’t want to move during the holiday? No problem, advertise upfront that you’d prefer a specific transfer date to the new owner. Remember, everything is negotiable in real estate!

There are plenty of reasons why winter is a great time for buyers too! Remember the old adage, “the early bird gets the worm”?

  • There are fewer buyers in the market in the winter, so there is less competition. This can make the difference in our market where the inventory is extremely low and buyers may be finding themselves in a bidding war.
  • Only serious sellers are on the market in the winter, making it more likely that they will strive to negotiate for a win-win scenario.
  • Fewer buyers also mean fewer loans are being processed. Interest rates drop every winter on a cyclical basis.  This also means faster closings.
  • Finally, enjoy your summer! You can avoid spending your summer vacation with the masses searching for your new home. Instead you’ll already be settled in, enjoying your new home, sprucing up your landscaping and grilling on your new patio!

You can start your homework today at www.ClevelandsRealEstateSource.Info as well as at www.HomeValuesInLakewood.Info. Both sites will get you on your path to achieving your real estate goals for the new year.

Chris Bergin is a licensed real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway Lucien Realty in Lakewood and can be reached at Chris@ChrisBergin.com.

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Volume 10, Issue 25, Posted 5:13 PM, 12.09.2014