The holiday season may have you feeling jolly, but is selling your house over Christmas a good idea? If you’re preparing to sell your home, you may question when the right time is to sell your property. Christmas is a time that comes up often, with mixed opinions. There are both pros and cons to selling your property over the holidays, which are worth considering.
Should you decide to put your house on the market over the holidays, you’ll want to be sure that you can find a real estate agent who is available during this time. You can start comparing agents by registering your details at LocalAgentFinder. This will help you ensure that you find a highly qualified, licensed agent who will be willing to work with you during this hectic time period. You’ll want to be sure that you can find a real estate agent who is available during this time.
Advantages of selling your house over Christmas time
There are several positive aspects to selling your house over Christmas. It may be possible to get a great price during this time if you plan the right strategy. During this time period, the number of available houses for sale decreases. This reduces competition between sellers and instead increases the competition among buyers. It’s best to find a local real estate agent who will have up-to-date knowledge about how the holidays could affect your chances of a fast, profitable sale.
If you’re in an area that sees a higher level of competition between buyers during the holidays, this could lead to offers that are even higher than your original asking price. Another advantage is that buyers who are looking for properties during the holidays are usually serious about purchasing something, and this could lead to a quick sale. Most buyers looking at this time want to be able to move in before a new year begins.
Christmas is also a naturally festive and joyful time. It falls in December which is the first month of summer, which provides a bright, cheerful and sunny setting for the home. This combined with holiday cheer can make your home seem extra inviting. Use some simple staging techniques to enhance this with basic Christmas decorating.
Disadvantages of selling your house over Christmas
One of the obvious disadvantages of selling your home over Christmas is that this is a time when many people go on holidays. This could lead to fewer buyers being in town to see your property. As mentioned above, it may also be more difficult to find the right real estate agent to work with, because many agents will be off work spending time with their families as well! Be sure that you have all the resources you need to sell during this time period.
Another factor to consider is the impression that you will make on buyers by selling your house over the holidays. Buyers may be slightly suspicious, wondering why you are so keen to get rid of your house during this time rather than spending time with your family. They may think that you are desperate to sell because there is something wrong with the house or to satisfy a financial debt. If they think you are desperate to sell quickly, this could lead to lower offers. Selling at the wrong time could lead to lower profits or dragged-out negotiation as a result.
Home staging in the festive season
If you decide to stage your home with Christmas decorations, use them sparingly to avoid crossing over into tacky territory. Sellers who have already prepared their house for sale will most likely have already moved clutter. You won’t want to negate these efforts by replacing your old clutter with an overabundance of new decorations! It’s a good idea to strike the right balance between holiday spirit and a large, spacious property.
For example, rather than filling your living room with a large Christmas tree you could choose a tasteful table-top version instead. This will serve as a cheerful centerpiece, without overcrowding the room. Rather than choosing garish banners, you can opt for the more natural evergreen garlands. Instead of leaving all of your presents out and about, you can hide them somewhere else or group them into attractive arrangements of 3 or 5. It’s also a good idea to stay away from religious items, which could detract from the buyer being able to imagine themselves living in your home. Restricting your religious items also helps protect your own privacy.
So, if you ask whether December is a good time to sell your house, we would say there are both pros and cons to selling your house over Christmas, which are worth exploring.
What’s next?
It’s also essential to find a qualified real estate agent to work with as you prepare to put your house on the market. You can register now and find an agent who’s right for you.
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