real estate agent

Job transfers, downsizing, a need for more space, relationship changes, and more make buying a home a necessity at any time of the year.

Nobody sells their house during the winter months, right? Well, while many people would like to wait until the spring or summer months to sell their home, the reality is many people move in the winter. In fact, a large number of home sales occur during the coldest months of the year.

According to the National Association of Realtors, more than one million homes were sold in the U.S. between December 2019 to February 2020. So, if you are wondering if you should put off selling your home until spring, why wait?

Selling Your Home in Winter

While spring is still the hottest season for buying a home, plenty of people need to buy a home in the winter. Job transfers, downsizing, a need for more space, relationship changes, and more make moving a necessity at any time of the year. There are several advantages to selling your home during the winter months. Whether it’s hot or cold outside, certain factors are not affected by the temperature.

• Online Property Listings – The majority of buyers go online to search for a home. Potential buyers have instant access to property listings, and this factor has had a huge impact on the typical seasonal buyers looking for a house.
• Not as Many Sellers – In the spring, the market is flooded with homes for sale. But during the winter, there is a limited number of sellers. The number of homes on the market drops off, which means that you will have considerably less competition on the market if you list your home during the winter. You may end up selling your house even faster because buyers have fewer homes to consider.
• People Have a Little More Time – While it’s true that some people are less likely to be looking for a home during their hectic holiday schedules, keep in mind that many people have more time off during that time of year. Those that do may want to take advantage of their time and look for a new home.
• Tax Breaks Before the End of the Year – Selling your home before the end of the year may be a good time for buyers motivated to capture the tax benefits of buying a home before the year is over. A home buyer can write off some of the expenses of their home purchase on their taxes.

Tips for Selling Your Home During the Winter

If you decide to sell your home this winter, here are some tips to improve the chances of selling:

• Keep holiday decorations simple; otherwise, it can be overpowering to a potential buyer.
• Make it cozy by lighting a fire in the fireplace, baking cookies, lighting lightly-scented candles, or playing soft holiday music.
• It gets dark early, so brighten up your home’s exterior with outdoor lighting and keep the inside well-lit all evening long.
• If it does snow, keep your home’s details as clear as possible so that buyers can see them when they drive by.
• Take pictures when the weather is clear so that you have clear-weather pictures of your home to post online.

Contact Gateway Real Estate and Home Services

If you are ready to get your house on the market this winter, give the professional team at Gateway Real Estate and Home Services a call or connect with us online to help you through the home selling process.