Why sell your home in the winter?

By Mel Oldakowski

There’s a myth many home sellers believe, and that is you should wait until spring to put your home on the market. The fact is, listing in the winter may have a greater advantage in terms of the type of buyers attracted, marketing and more.

Less competition. 

Many homeowners think that waiting for spring and summer is ideal, so there is a spring rush of

homes hitting the market. By listing in the months prior, you don’t have to worry about a saturated market. Your home is more visible to a buyer.

Non-contingent buyer. 

If you’re looking to buy, then you’d want to be able to sell now because by the time spring arrives you have the opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer. Which means that if you find the home you love, you’ve already sold your current home and you won’t have to wait until you find a spring buyer. 

In addition, because more homes are for sale during the spring, this could drive down market prices meaning you have the ability to sell high and buy low.

Better showings. 

During the winter months, homes feel warmer and more inviting. If you have a fireplace, then fire
that baby up and put her to use to help welcome potential buyers as they come for showings.

Marketing. 

With the number of listings that drop during the winter, it frees up more time for agents to increase our marketing efforts. That means more open houses, ads, posts, etc., all geared to make your house incredibly visible to the buyers out searching.  

Increased web traffic.

Home searches increase during the winter months as potential buyers start buckling down searching
for homes that spike their interest.

Serious Buyers. 

The number one reason you should list during the winter is that the buyers you meet are serious about purchasing. Not to say spring and summer buyers aren’t, however, they spend more time browsing the market. Winter buyers are more motivated to find the home that’s best for them and get the deal done!