How the Holiday Season Can Help Your Winter Home Sale

Photo: Courtesy of @mockingbirdstudios

Home Sales During the Winter Months

Many people consider the winter months to be the worst time to sell a house due to historically lower profit yield averages in October-January in the United States (attomdata.com). Bad weather coupled with holiday commitments affect the number of people out house hunting, and less competition can drive down home sale prices.

However, this is not the case for the warm-weathered Caribbean. The winter season brings slightly cooler temperatures (particularly in the northern Caribbean) as well as drier and less humid weather (responsiblevacation.com), making it the best time to be out and about. Also, winter is the time that tourists flock to the Caribbean to escape the harsh northern winter. The benefit to Caribbean home sellers is that, especially now with an increased number of people still working remotely and children distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these winter tourists are looking to purchase a second home.

If you choose to sell your home during the winter months, you may be faced with deciding whether or not to put your house on the market over the holiday season. Selling your home during the holiday season, regardless of where you live, can be extremely advantageous. Many real estate agents find the holidays to be a lucrative time for home sales. According to Emil Hartoonian, managing partner of The Agency in Beverly Hills, CA, "I have personally had my best months in real estate during the holiday season" (realtor.com). 

Holiday Buyers

Holiday buyers are the right type of buyer. First off, buyers looking for properties during the holidays, instead of Christmas shopping, going to parties, spending time with their family, etc., are usually serious about purchasing, which could lead to a fast sale (localagentfinder.com). Most buyers looking at this time want to move in before a new year begins (localagentfinder.com). Also, buyers looking to purchase homes before the end of the year for tax purposes find December listings ideal (zillow.com). With their year-end deadline, these buyers are also serious and committed to finalizing a home purchase quickly.

Second, year-end bonuses come during the holiday season as well as sizeable year-end retiree payouts. The extra money from dividends and payouts could prompt people to shop for a housing upgrade or new home buyers to enter the housing market. As a seller, year-end bonuses and retirement payouts mean that more people have money to spend on a home (realtor.com); thus, increasing your potential selling price and the likelihood of closing a sale.

Creative Holiday Marketing Opportunities

Selling your home over the holidays allows you to capitalize on the energy, excitement, and joy people feel with the season. As such, you can embrace a unique and fresh marketing approach to selling your home. For example, holidays are the season of parties; why not work with your realtor to turn your open house into a holiday party (brownhouserealty.com)? In addition to the typical open house snacks, you and your realtor could add fun activities for children and adults alike, such as cookie decorating and crafts. You could further set the mood with holiday music softly playing in the background and apple cider simmering on the stove. You could even provide a small takeaway gift such as a succulent. Marketing materials could look like holiday party invitations. This fun and festive twist on the open house is a great way to make your home stand out and attract more potential buyers. 

Don't Be Afraid to List Your Home over the Holidays!

Let the excitement of the holiday season spill over to the marketing and selling of your home! With people already in a festive, purchasing mood, and with serious December home buyers out there, the holidays are the perfect time to list your home. You can elicit positive, joyous feelings by appropriately and attractively decorating your home for the holidays. Once you are ready for a holiday sale, you can list your property on Kayifi absolutely free!

Sources:
attomdata.com
brownhouserealty.com
localagentfinder.com
realtor.com
responsiblevacation.com
zillow.com