In real estate it’s common knowledge that the spring and summer are the best times of year to sell a home. But is that really true? The truth is, you don’t have to hibernate on your house sale. There are actually plenty of good reasons to sell your home in the winter. We’ve listed why below.
1. There are fewer but more serious buyers
While plenty of buyers are serious during the warmer months, there’s a bigger crowd overall. The winter months, however, bring about fewer but more motivated people for a number of reasons. Let’s break it down.
To start, families with kids in school generally prefer to relocate in the summer when the scholastic year has ended. If a family is looking to buy a home in the middle of winter, it means they have a motive to the urgency. Whether it’s because a parent switched jobs or needs to be closer to a relative, if a family is interested in your house, you’ll know it won’t be a waste of your time.
Did you know many companies relocate their employees in January? The corporate shift means serious buyers on the move and ready to sign some lease papers. For you, it’s another good reason to sell your home in the winter.
Lastly, people in general tend to stay indoors throughout the cold, dark months of the year. If they’re going to brave freezing temperatures they will probably have a purpose in doing so. Instead, once the sunshine emerges, everyone wants a reason to be outside, which could very well be to stop into your open house on an evening stroll. Sell your home in Fort Worth in the winter and you’ll filter out the crowds, saving yourself time and energy
2. There’s less competition in the market
As if more interested buyers isn’t motivation enough to sell your house in the winter, it’s compounded by the sheer fact that there are less people listing their homes. So, there are higher chances that serious people on a timeline will see your home. Not to mention they’ll have fewer options to choose from. In addition to willing to bid higher in their anticipation to find a home quickly. Sounds like a win to me.
3. There are more qualified real estate agents available
Because real estate in El Paso slows down this time of year, you are more likely to get a quality experience since the crowds thinned out. Having a skilled real estate agent doesn’t only guarantee a seamless buyer search- it means they’ll most likely negotiate the highest possible sale price for you. If money talked, it would tell you to sell your home in the winter.
4. Lenders process loans faster
Lenders also have a lighter workload in the winter. So when you do find an interested buyer, their requests will get prepared right away and move the whole escrow process faster so everyone walks away happy.
5. Low maintenance curb appeal
In the warmer months you need to worry about weeding, mowing and watering the lawn, keeping the plants alive… the list goes on. Alternately, in the winter everything is already conveniently dead. The focus shifts predominantly indoors, giving you less work to prepare and showcase your house, and more motivation to sell in the winter.
Conclusion
Of course, everyone’s home selling journey is unique, and what works for one may not work for all. Use these tips as a guideline to help you decide what is ultimately the right move for you.
