Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holidays

Originally posted on https://www.thebalance.com/selling-your-home-during-the-holidays-1799068 By Elizabeth Weintraub Updated October 07, 2017 Selling your home during the holidays is loaded with pros and cons, don’t make any mistake about it. If you ask a real estate agent, “Should I keep my home on the market over the holidays?” an agent will tell you, “Yes, absolutely, because then you know buyers are serious.” You know what I think about that? I’ll cut to the chase. It’s hogwash. If you don’t really have to sell between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, take your home off of the market, and enjoy some peace and quiet with your family. Now, we can expect that hundreds of thousands of real estate agents want to argue. That’s because real estate agents always want your home on the market, regardless of whether it’s the right time to sell or not. Don’t blame them for being blindsided. It’s the way of the profession. If your home isn’t on the market during the holidays, agents won’t get a sale, and it’s as simple as that. Not to mention, you might decide to list with another agent if the listing is canceled. That’s a real possibility for many agents, and it’s a real fear. On the other hand, some people really do need to sell over the holidays. And some buyers do need to buy a home during the Christmas season, for example, and they don’t have any other alternative. But the fact remains there are not as many buyers in the market in December. Whether holiday season buyers  are more “serious” than springtime buyers remains to be seen. Reasons You Might Not Want to Sell Your Home Over the Holidays First time home buyers, not knowing any better, could think you are desperate. Buyers might try to negotiate. It’s inconvenient during the holidays to always be ready for home showing at a moment’s notice. Not everybody wants to keep the house spic and span when cooking, wrapping gifts, throwing parties. The offers you receive might be for less than list price, and you could receive a lowball offer. You’re appealing to a much smaller inventory of buyers who have very specific needs that your home might not match. It’s almost impossible to close a financed transaction in December if the offer is received mid-month. Buyers who want to close after the New Year will probably make offers in January. If you remove your home from the market, it can return as a brand new listing in January, thereby drawing more traffic because it’s fresh and exciting. Your agent might be on vacation in December and unavailable as the market moves into a seasonal slowdown. Other real estate professionals might be unavailable when you need them as well. Some sellers insist on leaving their homes on the...

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