Buying-selling-renting during winter holidays Tips Pros Cons

How to sell a house in winter?

Winter is not the peak real estate season, but winter home sales are becoming more common, as home sales increase in all seasons. According to SuGanta Realty Services llp research, 23 percent fewer homes are sold in winter than in spring, and homes listed for sale on the market in winter are listed for about five days longer than the annual average time in the market.

While it can be a challenge to sell during the holiday season with some helpful strategies, expert tips, and creative marketing, you can find a great buyer for your home.

The truth of selling a house during the holidays 

When we talk about winter, we are talking about December 1 to February 28, including all the major winter holidays, as well as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Valentine day, and President day. This period of time is marked by most of the country's seasons (mostly in the country), holiday travel and time spent with family.
And, when compared to a full year, homes sold during the winter months stay on the market a bit longer - a median of 92 days nationwide in the winter of 2018–2019, compared to a median of 76 days when across watching the whole year.

Note, winter has the smallest share of house sales of any season, but it is likely because there are fewer homes on the market, which may mean less competition for sellers.

Who is buying in winter? 

Simply put: all types of buyers shop in all seasons. It is a common misconception that most home buyers have school-age children, and they only shop for homes during the summer vacation. In fact, according to SuGanta's research, more than half of buyers do not have children under 18 in the home, so they are not limited by the school's program.

Benefits of selling a home in winter

• Motivated Buyers:  While more buyers are looking into the spring and summer months, shoppers who are actively shopping for a new home in winter are highly motivated - often shifting from jobs, changes in financial status or family needs. Reason for change.

• Low seller competition: With fewer homes on the market in winter, there is less competition from other seller, and a limited inventory for buyers.

• Overtime work: People go to work off during the winter, and three-day weekends such as MLK Day and President's Day can be popular home shopping days. As a seller, it also means more options for appearances and open houses.

• More attention from agents: When agents have fewer listings, sellers receive more of their undivided attention. The same thing happens for buyers' agents - they have more time for demonstrations and deal arrangements.

• Tax benefits: Buyers looking to purchase homes before the end of the year for tax purposes find the December list ideal.

The challenge of selling a house in winter

• Lower ball Offers: Buyers may think that winter home sellers are desperate to close homes, so you should be prepared to make fewer offers than at other times of the year.

• The curb appeal is limited: in the dark, dry winter months, it is a challenge to show the exterior of the house, especially the landscaping.

• Financing may be delayed: Due to the holiday schedule and bank holidays, buyers may take longer to finalize financing during this season.

• Less likely to receive multiple offers: In the busy spring and summer seasons, sellers often find themselves in multiple-offer situations, where they are able to pit multiple buyers against each other to raise the final selling price. This is less likely to happen in the short selling season.

• Some household defects are more pronounced: if a house is dull, dark or dripping, these defects display themselves more dramatically during the cold months.

Holiday selling tips 

Create online catalog 

When the weather is bad, more house hunting is online. Make sure the home is shown in its best light by adding a 3D home tour and make sure the listing details are attractive and complete.

Invest in professional photography

Quality real estate photos are everything, and the interior of the house feels light and bright during the winter. And, when choosing a photo of a home's exterior, consider one of the tricks you tried to sell the house: use a photo from last spring or summer.

Hire the right agent

When interviewing agents, be sure to ask about their experience with selling in winter or in slower markets. Find out how they plan to do home marketing when there is a limited pool of buyers.

Selling price

A well priced home can sell quickly in any season. Help your agent price the house to attract the largest pool of potential buyers, using recently sold comparisons from the neighborhood.

View SuGanta Offers 

When selling a house to SuGanta with a SuGanta offer, you can avoid the hassles on the list, such as home improvement projects, staging, demonstrations and open houses. Instead, simply answer some questions about the house, and if it is eligible, accept an offer and turn it off when it is convenient for you.

Staging tips for selling homes during the holidays

Keep decorations simple 

There is something about the holiday season that makes a house feel like home. But when selling, less is more, so avoid excessive Christmas decorations. Aim for tasty holiday decorations like a small tree in a corner, some gifts wrapped underneath (consider wrapping empty boxes in case of package thieves!), A nice wreath at the front door, or a deemed pine cone.
Cooked Biscuits 

Baking cookies before an open house is a classic real estate technique, but it works particularly well when selling on Christmas. Invite potential buyers with the smell, and let them discover the house with delicious treats.

Make it comfortable 

Winter is the perfect time to emphasize comfortable amenities. Turn on the chimney, decorate with warm colors, and add some throw blankets around the house.
Curb some (winter) appeal 

When selling property in winter, curb appeal takes a different form. Shovels introduce snow, canopies, illuminate the walkway, and ensure there is a doormat for visitors to wipe their wet feet.

Lights on 

During the winter months the hours of the day are limited, so maximize the light whenever possible. Install high wattage light bulbs and turn on additional lights, both to make the interior of a house its best, and to create a warm glow from the street.

Turn on the heat 

Drafts are less noticeable with heat, so make sure potential buyers are warmly welcomed. If it has been a while since the HVAC system was tested, now is the time. Inexpensive fixing such as adding insulation, changing weather stripping and servicing the furnace can go a long way.

Clean the gutter

Overflow or broken gutters may be one of the first (negative) things buyers want. Once it falls, be sure to clean all those leftover leaves.

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