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Four reasons to buy in winter

The leaves have fallen, Christmas carols are now playing, and the Hallmark channel is running non-stop holiday movies.  It's time to focus on holidays and family.

No one buys a home in December, right?

You may be surprised to learn that November and December are two of our busiest months. In the month of November alone Tami and I showed over 50 homes and our listings were shown 42 times.

So, why do so many buyers come out in the middle of the busiest holiday season? Maybe they made a New Year's Eve commitment to be in a new home before the end of 2017; maybe it's a job transfer; perhaps they see a positive job outlook on the horizon. 

No matter the reason, year over year experience tells us that savvy buyers buy in the winter.

A recent article in AAA magazine highlighted four reasons why:

1) Fewer buyers, less competition

Many homebuyers are looking to move in summer, before the new school year starts - one reason spring and summer are the busiest buying months.  By winter, fewer people are house hunting.  That means less competition and lower chances of a bidding war that could drive up the price of your dream house.

2) Motivated sellers

Most people who aren't able to sell their homes in spring or summer will pull their homes off the market in late fall - and start fresh in the spring.  Those sellers who stick it out over the winter are likely to be more motivated - perhaps they need to sell their home in order to start a new job - and therefore more willing to negotiate on price.

3) Speedy closing

In busy spring and summer, the home buying process can take a while.  Real estate agents are juggling multiple listings and clients, lenders may have a backlog of mortgages to process, and appraisers are slammed.  In the slower winter months, they'll be freed up to focus on you - so the closing process may happen much more quickly.

4) Winter home checkup

While you may not get the full effect of the landscaping and curb appeal, touring and having a home inspected in the winter can be beneficial - especially in colder climates.  You'll be able to spot potentially expensive problems - such as a lack of insulation, ice dams in the gutters or an inefficient heating system - that you wouldn't notice in warmer weather.


Jump start your 2018 house hunt now.  You may just get the best deal out there. Call me or Tami, or click here to chat.


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