4 reasons why December is the most wonderful time of year to buy or sell property!
27 Nov 2019
Slogging through snow and ice in sub-zero temperatures to shop for a home isn’t the most appealing way to spend a chilly winter day. Likewise, the thought of prepping your home for open houses at the same time as you’re getting set for holiday guests may seem daunting. Yet if you are planning to buy or sell during the winter season, there are some good reasons not to put it off until the new year.
Holiday magic takes the chill off winter
In December, twinkling lights, cheery Christmas trees and halls decked with holly remind us all that dark days won’t last forever. In January, lights are still up in many homes and everyone’s geared up for a fresh start and full of hope for a better year.
Then the trees come down and the lights go out, but winter remains. With no holiday sparkle to take the edge off, buyers feel all the chill of winter and none of the festive fizz and pop.
That’s one of the reasons Vistacor Realty’s Andrew Mitchell suggests clients who are game should go ahead and hit the market over the holidays.
“People often feel they shouldn’t decorate the house, but it’s the opposite. People make decisions based on emotions, especially when they buy a home,” he said. “A fireplace, a tree, a warm house has a welcoming feeling. I think that plays well into how the house shows.”
Buyers are serious
Another reason to list over the holidays if you’re ready to sell, Mitchell said, is that there are fewer tire-kickers.
“There are fewer visits, but the visits you do get are more likely to result in offers,” he said. “Nobody wants to be out looking at homes when it’s -30 and it’s slippery, so the ones that are out doing it are serious about buying.”
Because many sellers prefer not to list over the holidays, inventory also tends to drop, he said. With fewer homes for sale, it creates more of a sense of urgency for buyers to go ahead and put in a serious offer, rather than keep shopping around.
“Negotiations are often faster and simpler during the holidays,” Mitchell said.
Sellers are motivated
The holiday season can also be advantageous for buyers. You’re competing with fewer people, for one. Although there may be less choice due to low inventory, if you do find the home you love, you’ll likely find the seller is more willing to consider a competitive offer because they aren’t seeing as many prospective buyers. Sellers are also often keen to make a deal so they can be ready to shop for their next home in the new year.
While most sellers prefer not to show their home on Christmas, Tanya Nouwens, a broker with Re/Max Royal Jordan, said most go out of their way to accommodate serious buyers.
Last year, she sold a home on Dec. 27. Like Mitchell, Nouwens said while there are fewer buyers, those who do show up are usually serious, and deals often come together quickly.
“There are fewer buyers who are out, and if you’re a seller who’s on the market, you’re super happy to have someone come visit because it tends to be a quieter time,” she said. “When the market is slower, a seller is more open to negotiation.”
Mon pays c’est l’hiver
Let’s face it: we live in winter conditions for half the year in this part of Canada. As Gilles Vigneault famously sang, “Mon pays, ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver.” It’s critical to know what your new home is like when the mercury drops.
See a house in summer and it’s easy to be seduced by all the green growing goodness. It’s all too easy to overlook the details that matter when it snows.
You have to see a home in winter to know if the driveway is more like a luge track or if the plows are slow to clear your street. In winter there’s no hiding if the home is so poorly insulated that the icicles have icicles and certain rooms never seem to get warm. You’ll know if the windows fog up when it’s cold outside or if the “private” backyard becomes a fishbowl when the leaves drop. Then you can decide if you can live with those things or if they’re deal-breakers.
