Each year, many homeowners decide to wait until after the holidays to sell their homes and many who already have their homes on the market decide to remove their listings until the spring. However, winter can be a great time to sell in order to entice buyers and get ahead of the game. Everyone you know waits to list until the spring. However, Michele Harmon Team is here to tell you five reasons why you need to list your home before spring approaches.
1. Minimal Competition
During the holidays and throughout January, there is minimal competition of homes on the market. This means that there are not enough homes to satisfy buyer demand. This allows you to be in the driver’s seat as a seller! In addition, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, inventory has declined to record lows. We may see even less homes on the market this winter than we normally do. With a significant lack of inventory, your home will become more appealing to potential buyers.
2. You Can Attract Serious Buyers
This time of year is known to have few home buyers. However, buyers who are shopping for homes during this season are typically very serious buyers.They are not typically just browsing. In addition, many people relocate for a job in the winter months through February. Relocators typically have a limited amount of time to uproot their family and need to get their children settled in school. It is likely that once they are able to find a home that meets their budget and other requirements, these buyers will be ready to close on your home quickly.
3. More Attention
It is the slow season for Real Estate Agents, Mortgage Lenders, Appraisers, and Inspectors. There are less homes being purchased and sold. This means that the experts have more time to give your home attention. The increased amount of attention they are able to give could allow the selling process to go much smoother and possibly even faster.
In addition to receiving more attention from real estate professionals, you also receive more attention with showings. During the winter, people tend to take time off of work and there are multiple three-day weekends such as Martin Luther King Day and President’s Day. These can be popular home shopping days! As a seller, this means there may be more options for showings and open houses than in the spring.
4. Interest Rates May Be Higher in the Spring
Interest rates are currently at a record low. However, we do not know how long these mortgage rates will last. If interest rates are higher in the spring, fewer people will be able to afford your home. If you choose to wait to sell your home until after the holidays, you may be reducing the number of buyers who can afford to buy your home.
5. You Can Beat the Spring Crowds
Spring is the time when everyone else is selling and when people are looking to buy. However, by listing now, you could entice serious buyers and spike buyer interest prior to the quick influx of new listings. If you are able to place your home on the market before the end of February, your home will make a bigger impact on buyers than it would in the Spring due to the lack of inventory and your home will not become lost among the hundreds of active listings.
If you have been thinking about selling, Michele Harmon Team can help you get ahead of the game this Winter. When you choose to work with Michele Harmon Team, you reap the benefits of not having one, but MULTIPLE licensed, experienced agents and admin working for your best interest. Michele Harmon Team provides more availability, attention to detail, a deeper pool of expertise, and the highest level of customer service for the same commission as an individual agent. You will have access to specialists in all areas including staging, marketing, negotiating, buying, selling, commercial, or investing. If you have any questions about selling your home and how you can benefit by listing in the winter, call Michele Harmon Team at 713-818-1330. We are always happy to help and we always keep your best interests in mind.