Many people wonder when is the best time to buy or sell real estate. Other than during the summer when flowers are blooming, the grass is green and the weather should be better to view properties, do not ignore the potential of buying or selling during the winter months. Here are some reasons to consider looking at properties during the wintertime.
Better Negotiation Opportunities. Winter or early spring usually sees a seasonal lull, when potential Buyers and Sellers are contemplating incoming credit card bills from the holiday season, and this might provide unique opportunities for some Buyers to negotiate advantageous deals.
Motivated sellers. Quite often sellers are motivated To make a fresh start in the new year and Buyers want to start their plans for children’s schools and vacation planning early in the new year.
Reduced competition. For Sellers usually the number of properties for sale is smaller in the early part of the year as they do not want potential Buyers viewing their house during the holiday time because of family plans and visits etc. For Buyers this can still work in their favour because if the property has been listed over the holiday period, that might indicate the Sellers are more motivated to sell.
Access to Real Estate Professionals. It is fair to say that Realtors(r) and mortgage brokers may be more readily available during this time, because as previously mentioned, the real estate market might be experiencing a bit of a slowdown during this period of time, and not only might these professionals be looking for more business, they might be more motivated to get back to you in a shorter period of time. This could also apply to real estate support industries, such as home inspectors and renovating companies etc.