Post from MilitaryByOwner
It’s that time of the year again. It’s getting cold, you’re decorating for holidays and waiting for guests to arrive. Only this year, you’re selling your home.
The idea of selling your home during the holidays can be overwhelming. Thoughts like how you’re going to keep your home show-ready, wondering if there are any active buyers and wanting to snuggle in and enjoy family time might have you wondering if it’s a good idea.
These concerns are valid! But, let’s focus on a few good things about selling your home during the holidays, and how it can even work to your advantage. Are you ready?
1. The market is less competitive.
Many home sellers succumb to the concerns associated with selling their homes over the holidays, so fewer people do it. And, that means that your competition dries up.
What’s better (and we’ll touch more on this in a minute) is that most buyers try to move fast during this time of the year. This means they’ll look only at properties available now and lucky for you, yours will be one of them!
2. The holidays are cozy.
The chilly weather is approaching, so your home will feel warm and inviting with little effort. Add a couple of home staging tips into the mix, and you’ll have home buyers wanting to curl up on the couch and call your house their home.
Try these tips to make your home feel its coziest:
Light the porch. Since it gets darker earlier during the winter, be sure to illuminate the exterior of your home. Whether it’s a few tasteful Christmas lights or uplights in your flower bed, you’ll be surprised by how much it increases your home’s curb appeal.
Decorate. Don't skip the holiday decorations just because you’re selling your home. Embrace the holidays and showcase how cozy your home feels. But be sure you don’t create clutter! There's no need to fill every nook, cranny and shelf with Christmas gnomes.
Bake. Ever walk into a home after cookies were just brought out of the oven? It’s a sneaky trick, but one that will make home buyers drool over your home.
3. A higher volume of serious buyers.
Since most people want to be at home with their families and friends during this time of the year, you'll find that it's the serious home buyers that reach out to you during the holidays.
The holidays are a great time to avoid all the nosy neighbors and spend your time hosting an open house for those more likely to buy your home.
4. Faster sales.
I don’t know that anyone seeks to drag out the home buying process. But you'll likely find more buyers eager to expedite the process when buying during the holidays.
Starting a new job. Most people moving over the holidays are doing so for work. Take the military, for example. Though PCS season is typically in the spring and summer, there are also off-season PCS moves that leave military families moving during Christmas. So they're looking to settle in quickly and report to their new duty station, which means that they’re wanting to act fast.
Seeking a tax break. Not only is this the holiday season, but it’s also the end of the year. Some home buyers might feel extra motivated to close on a home before January in order to qualify for a tax break.
5. Fewer time restrictions.
Though the holiday season is the busiest time of the year, most home buyers enjoy more time off work. It’s often the easiest time for active duty service members to get leave approved and therefore have more time to find their new home.
If you're getting ready to sell your home now, don’t stress. While you’ll likely face a few inconveniences over the holidays, there are a number of perks that will give you an advantage by choosing to sell your home now.
Ready to advertise? List your home on MilitaryByOwner where you can reach serious buyers looking to settle into a new home this holiday season!
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