Do People Buy Houses in the Winter Months?
Now that Autumn is here, it will soon be freezing outside with snow making things slippery. Children will enjoy sledding down hills and out of school. When I suggest to homeowners that winter is a great time to sell their house, they look at me and say, “Do people buy houses in the winter months? Friends of ours were selling their house last year in December. They were told, “Yes they do buy houses in the winter!”
Do People Buy Houses in the Winter Months?
Some people love to shop in December for a major purchase. That’s why you see TV car ads showing big red Christmas bows on expensive autos for romantic husbands hoping to surprise their wives with the best Christmas present ever. People who shop this time of year, who wade through the snow, who brave the elements are serious buyers. There’s no need to wait until after the New Year or even spring if you want to sell quickly.
In fact, contrary to local SE Washington opinion makers, a recent newspaper article confirms that the winter is one of the best times to sell. A recent study examined home listing, sale price and time-on-market data from 2010 through this past October from around the country, updating a two-year analysis completed last year. The study concluded that listing in December, January, February, and March give you a better chance on average than if you list any time from June through November. Listing during those winter months has produced higher percentages of above-asking-price sales than listing during any months other than April and May.
Zillow agrees “Much of the traditional dogma about selling in winter no longer holds true, and the new technologies and updated marketing techniques adopted by savvy real estate agents can reduce or erase a seller’s typical aversions to listing a home in winter. Serious buyers search for homes all year round; sellers should be out there, too.”
Here are five things you can do to make your home more appealing during the winter months.
- Be agile! You want to be ready at the drop of a hat to show your home to potential buyers. That means any holiday parties may be out, so you don’t have to worry about post-party cleanup. Just say to friends and family, “We are trying to sell your house. Why not celebrate at your house?”
- Decorate with heavier fabrics and throw rugs. These items can make a home seem warm and inviting, while the use of darker colors can add to the coziness. It also helps to enhance winter features, by making sure natural or gas fires are operating throughout inspections and using mellow lighting.
- Put up your decorations if you want, but stay on the conservative side. You don’t want so many lights that UFOs can see your house from space. Potential buyers will experience a warm feeling with some decorations. You want them to get excited about spending holidays in their house. A huge Christmas tree could be wrong if it makes your house appear small.
- Get the price right, maybe just a little under the market. The last thing you want is the house to sit on the market which could lead to a price reduction.
- Make sure to hire a knowledgeable agent who knows your neighborhood. Buyers like to know what the schools are like and how close; how close is shopping, parks, and access to the freeway, etc.
- Hire a professional photographer. Most searching for a dream house starts online. Make a good first impression by offering lots of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. If possible, have a summer or spring photo of your home available so buyers can see how it looks year-round.
Consider an All Cash Offer
If you are looking to sell your home quickly and are not sure you have the time to look for an agent and prepare your home to be ready to show buyers, you may want to consider an all-cash offer. A reputable real estate investor will offer you all cash for your home as is. You can have your home immediately and close in less than 30 days.
Do People Buy Houses in the Winter Months? Our friends, who listed their house in December, had three offers in the first two days on the market, with two offers all cash. They accepted an offer on the second day for $6,000 over their asking price.
Path Forward Homes, LLC strives to be the areas’ premier real estate solutions company.
With the ability to directly purchase homes and make cash offers, we can create an extremely fast, and hassle-free transaction.