Don’t fret if you’re trying to sell your home as the tinsel’s going up. There are some little known advantages to selling through Christmas and New Year.
There are challenges to selling your property through Christmas and the new year. Many agents close up shop and have a break, people get distracted with presents and parties, and let’s face it… most of us are just plain exhausted.
But if you find yourself selling over the holidays, don’t despair. In some ways, it can be a good thing.
You just need to know where your advantages lie.
Spring fallout
The Spring selling season is winding down, and many who’ve parted with their home are now on the hunt for their next property.
If the season was competitive they’ll be a good number of people who missed out on their dream home and need to close the deal before the end of the year.
Buyer accessibility
Though it’s a busy time of year, most people have more time up their sleeve to scout properties they’ve had an eye on.
Normal work schedules make viewing lots of properties a challenge. As workload and commitments slow down, motivated buyers have much more time to search through properties that appeal and get out to see them.
Less competition
Selling at the height of Spring or Autumn means you’ll need to work hard to stand out from a crowd. There are usually less properties on the market over Christmas and New Year, meaning motivated buyers will have fewer prospects to tempt them.
By January and February, property listings are surging once more, and demand for your place may dip.
Milk the fact you’re one of a special few.
How we feel
With less work and more merriment, people generally feeling happier and more relaxed over the holidays. When buyers are cheery, they’re in a better mood to negotiate and more likely to act. The process should be easier on all parties.
Starting a new year and wrapping the previous one makes most people reflective. We think about what we did and didn’t do, our goals and dreams. How we did on that New Year’s resolution list from last year.
It’s a time of taking stock and reinvention – the perfect state of mind for moving on to a new home and a new chapter of life.
Auction aversion
They’re a great way to produce top prices for properties in certain areas, but auctions can be intimidating for a lot of buyers out there.
Auctions tend to shut up shop over Christmas and don’t pick up until the new year. If you’re selling through that period, more than likely you’ll be selling via private treaty, which will put many buyers at ease.
Romantic appeal
Depending on where you live and how you decorate, a home can have a unique appeal during the Christmas season. If your target market is families, you can tastefully dress your property so it lives and breathes the perfect family Christmas.
Buyers can get more emotional over the holidays, so appealing to the heart strings isn’t as taboo as usual. Embrace the season and you’ll connect with others who love it.
Rental transition
The rental market gets noisy this time of year. Leases are up, and people are working out their next step – new place to rent, or, for many, time to finally buy. Catch them while they’re in transit.
Paperwork
Tax requirements or strategic maneuvers, end of year bonuses, administrative headaches…
There’s a bunch of reasons buyers might want or need to get their paws on a new place before Auld Lang Syne kicks in. Make it a smooth proposition for them and bundle your property as the solution to their problems.
May Santa deliver the perfect buyer for you!
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This article was originally published on
2 Dec 2013 at 10:00am
but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.