Archives for December 2015

Past experience has shown that home sales have typically dropped off between Thanksgiving and the end of the year due to many distractions for buyers. We now live in a faster paced world, with changing lifestyles. Today, buyers never seem to stop looking on line. With 24 hour access, busy buyers who are working long hours and often work right up until the holidays begin, still keep their hand in the real estate game.
While inventory might be lighter as many sellers do take their homes off the market, competition is usually less. In a market where bidding wars have often taken place, this may be the opportunity to get a home that fits your price range. A tastefully holiday decorated home gives your home a warm, festive glow, enticing buyers.
On the flip side, if you don’t want interruptions to your planned holiday events or gift wrapping piles, then take your home off the market and re-list it in January. Buyers have often made their New Year’s resolutions to get serious with their home searches after the first of the year, and adding your home back in the mix in January gives you a jump on the competition.
If your home hasn’t been selling, it’s time to switch your strategy around. Lowering your price can peak interest for those that may have been interested in your home, but thought it was priced too high. Perhaps the price change places it into a pricing category that has a larger group of active buyers that weren’t aware it was on the market. Consider fixing something that has been considered an obstacle for the sale and noting the repair on the listing will re-peak interest.
Don’t be afraid to take advantage of a tighter market – it can often reap benefits at a time when you least expected it.