Buying or Selling Real Estate During the Holidays

There are many reasons to consider buying or selling real estate during the holidays. Perhaps with the new year approaching, you’d like a fresh start in a new home. Or maybe you want to find a place to settle into and create memories for years to come. Whatever your reasons, with any big decision, it is important to account for as many factors as possible. Here are some of the pros and cons when buying or selling during the holidays.

Buying a Home During the Holidays 

If you are searching for a home and wondering whether you should wait until after the holidays to begin your search, you can find comfort in knowing that buying during the holidays might be more beneficial for you. 

Some of the pros of buying a home during the holidays include:

• Room for negotiation. With less people buying, it is likely that sellers will be more willing to negotiate and work towards an expedited closing. Also, as the year ends builders are looking to move their inventory quickly, resulting in possible savings for you. 
  
• Less foot traffic. When attending showings where there are less people, you are able to get a closer, more in depth view of the space and appliances. You may also get to see if things like heating and plumbing work well during cooler months. 

Some of the cons may include: 

• The timeline may move a little slower. During the holiday season many people take the opportunity to travel. Coordinating with builders, real estate agents, and everyone involved may be difficult because people have a lot going on. 
  
• Added stress. A more implied con of purchasing a home during the holiday season is the combined stress of searching for and buying a home, grouped with the stress of the end of the year and the holiday season. Having to move houses or the thought of such a large expense during a time which is already very financially loaded may serve as another stressor. 
  

Selling a Home During the Holidays 

If you find yourself having outgrown your home and are ready to pass it on to a new owner, the holiday season may be the time to do it. Similar to buying a home during the holidays, putting your home up for sale around this time might also be in your best interest. 

Some of the pros are listed below:

• Less competition. If you are selling your home during the holidays, often there is less inventory from builders and fewer individuals selling homes in general. This can be beneficial because it is more likely people searching for a home will find your listing, and your listing will stand out. 
  
• More attention from your real estate agent. With fewer people selling during the holiday season, it allows for your real estate agent to focus on your listing, and for other real estate agents to schedule their clients to attend showings of your home. 
  

A con of selling during the holiday season is that some people may be hesitant to commit to a large purchase, coupled with the volatility of the market, particularly in current years.

Living in Northwest Florida 

Tallahassee bridges the gap between Florida and the states north of us by providing just enough of each season. In Tallahassee, you can enjoy sweater weather while you watch the leaves change during the autumn months, while never being more than an hour away from the nearest beach. Living in the state’s capital means you can enjoy the warmth, comfort, and southern hospitality of northwest Florida while also having access to the metropolitan views and glamor of the Tallahassee downtown area. With suburbs, a college town, and a downtown Tallahassee has something for everyone at every stage of life.