Should You List Your Home Around the Holidays?
Every year I have clients call me and ask if they should list their home around the holidays or wait until the spring market to list. The answer to that question is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Here are the things to consider on the timing of listing your home.
First, why would you NOT list your home around the holidays?
It is a crazy time of the year with a LOT going on. Listing and selling your home can be stressful (although I work really hard to take as much stress away as possible!).
Holiday decorating is important to many people and putting it up and taking it down is work. Do you want to do it twice if you close on your old house and new house sometime in December before Christmas?
With holiday parties and events, will scheduling people to view the home be particularly disruptive?
Are people even looking at homes in December? Would it just be adding days on the market to the house?
Will I be able to sell my house for more money if I wait until the spring?
What are the financial impacts?
Let’s first look at whether or not you would make more money if you wait until the spring to sell. I have not found that people make less money when selling their home over the holidays. Yes, there is less demand but there is also less supply. When you look at national statistics, it does seem to indicate that in some years you won’t make as much selling in December or January. However, much of the country is covered in ice and snow in those months which would definitely be a deterrent to home shopping. In Georgia, the mild weather shouldn’t impede buyers from looking for a home. This is yet another reminder that national news on real estate doesn’t automatically translate to our local Oconee County or Athens, Georgia market.
Can I do it ALL during the holidays?
As far as all the other holiday related concerns, that’s going to be a highly personal decision. I always try to consider the schedule and practical realities of my clients when I list their home. My goal is not only to help you get the best price for your home by problem solving on the front end, but also to help the process be as stress free as possible. Coming up with solutions to your particular holiday concerns would be part of the listing appointment.
Why are you listing your home?
The biggest factor to consider is why you are listing your home. Maybe you have a job transfer moving you out of state. Or, you are an empty nester now and want to downsize. If you are going through a divorce you might be court ordered to sell your home. What if you just need more space for your growing family. Perhaps you found your dream home and have to sell your current home to afford it.
Obviously if you have a life event that makes moving NOW essential, then list your home over the holidays. We will come up with ideas and solutions to streamline the process. If you don’t have to now, then having a listing appointment to talk through the pros and cons is the first step. You can always list your home and then withdraw it from the market if things get too stressful or you aren’t getting the offers you want. In my experience though, your house will sell and you won’t need to re-list in the spring.
