Eight Reasons to List During the Holidays
Wow! You’d think, from anecdotal evidence, that no one sells or buys a home during the holidays. Obviously, that’s not the case; the housing market statistics show that homes do close during the months of December and January. There is a definite decrease in the number of homes that sell during the holidays. Just check out the statistics here.
For those folks thinking of selling their home and waiting for spring, here are eight good reasons to list your home for sale during the holidays:
- Less Competition
- Serious Buyers Shop During the Holidays
- The Best Agents Continue to Work During the Holidays
- Relocation Buyers Move This Time of Year
- If it Does Not Sell During the Holidays, You are Ahead of the Others
- Not Lost in The Spring Shuffle
- Your Home Looks Great This Time of Year
- Buyers are More Sensitive to Scheduling Appointments
For those folks from warmer climes, the Michigan real estate market does slow down in the winter time. A lot of it, I am sure, is due to the holidays. But the weather simply makes it difficult to get around at times. So showings become more…interesting.
11/23/06 Update: My friends over at MIOAKLANDCOUNTY have a similar post on questions they field from clients about having homes listed over the holidays. The money quotes:
….if your home is not on the market, they can’t buy it. Home buyers this time of year are serious.
This time of the year is a great time to have your home on the market. Just remember the basics. Have it well priced. Make sure it is in good condition. Know that you have a strong marketing plan in place to get the word out. And do what you can to make it accessible to potential buyers. With these things in place, you are more likely to have a quick sale, and you are not competing with all of the homes that will be on the market in the spring.
Technorati tags: Michigan Real Estate, Seller Tips, Seller Tools, Holiday Sales, Marketing
9 Comments
Todd, I like your banner. Cool image.
Thanks for including me in your post!
Todd, pull out the champagne! Congrats on being the big winner this week.
Maureen,
Thanks! With the closings and now the blogging accolades, I may have to buy a new tux…..I’m wearing the backside out of this one!
This is great information and oh so true! Buyers looking during this time of year have a stronger urgency than those during the non-holiday season.
Great post!
kk
Great Blog, let me just add a couple more notes to your great reasons to list. . .
- Buyers have more time to look at homes during the holidays, especially during vacations.
- January is traditionally the biggest transfer month and you ust be on the market to capture that market! (at least this is true in Indianapolis Area.) Corporate transferees, who need to buy a home now, can’t wait until Spring.
Hope that helps bring more reasons to the already GREAT ones you already have in the blog!
Congratulations on your top post. Well deserved.
ditto Maureen on the header banner—nice
Nice job. I finally have time to read all of the carnival entries. Business always slows down here this time of year. Both buyers and sellers are missing out on an opportunity.
Cool!
Cool.
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[...] Todd Waller offers his Eight Reasons to List During the Holidays instead of waiting to list in the spring. [...]
[...] Todd Waller, S.E. Michigan Real Estate: Holiday Real Estate Market. The Digerati Life: Don’t Let Real Estate Clean You Out. Chris Cranny, Youthful Real Estate Investor: Subdividing Land. Welcome to the blogroll Chris. [...]
[...] And I got a really nice mention from Jonathan Dalton from Phoenix AZ. My fellow Michigander, Black Tie Todd Waller happened to refer to one of my posts in his Carnival of Real Estate winning entry this week. Thanks, Todd. We always like it when Michigan brings home an honor in the Carnival! [...]