Every year around this time I get asked by my clients if it is a good idea to put their home up for
sale during the Holiday Season. I have made a list of some pros and cons to help you decide if
you want to list your home during the holidays.

Pros:

Homes decorated for the holidays often feel warm and inviting. Often homes look great with the additional holiday decorations. There is something about the holidays that makes people feel comfortable and nostalgic. These are both great feelings for potential buys to have when they are looking at your home. My recommendation is to add some of your best holiday décor items and remember to not go overboard. Those deflated lawn decorations never look as good during the day when potential buyers are viewing your home.

Buyers are usually very motivated and ready to commit to a home. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays a lot of home buyers tend to put home shopping on the side lines. This means that the active shoppers tend to be more committed and ready to jump on a great home that they find.

Not as many homes on the Market.
We typically see a decrease in new homes being put on the market during the holidays. This means that your home will stand out since the competition is much lower.

Cons:

Not as many buyers in the market.
As we mentioned above the holidays are fun and busy. This means that some of the active buyers tend to wait until after the new year to resume their home search.

Moving during the Holidays.
If this is a concern for you, talking to your agent and setting up proper timelines for escrow and closings. Most buyers do not want to be moving on Christmas so
setting up the proper closing timeline will make sure that you don’t have any additional stress during this busy time of the year. This might mean having escrow close after the new year.

3 Tips for Selling during the Holidays

1. Hire a reliable Realtor
That means someone who will work hard for you and won’t disappear during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s. A great agent will go above and beyond to get
your home sold. This will ease your stress and give you more time to enjoy the season.

2. Price it to sell.
Homes that are priced right will attract buyers no matter what time of year. Working with a local realtor that is up to date on current market trends will help you set the
correct price to bring you a strong buyer.

3. Great Photos with 3D tours that include the neighborhood
Home buyers are busy spreading holiday cheer, so they are more likely to start their house hunt from the comfort of their homes by browsing listings on the Internet. You
want to make a great first impression. Also having a great 3D tour and posting it along with the listing photos may attract house hunters who don’t have time to physically see your home.

My final thought is if all of this is too much for you to worry about during the Holidays. You can
always wait to put your home on the market after the new year, it is just a couple of weeks
away