Holiday Real Estate
Real estate might not be the first thing on the minds of most people during the holiday season, but this is precisely what makes it such an interesting time for those of us who are always thinking about real estate.
Generally speaking, the real estate market is in the habit of resting during November and December. Most people are busy making preparations for guests arriving or getting ready to leave on their own adventures, and this can leave little time or interest for the pursuit of real estate goals.
Some sellers choose to take their homes off the market during the holidays, or at least ask their broker to postpone showings until after the new year. Needless to say, with a house full of visiting family, the last thing you want to do is to put all the festivities on hold and have to clean up the house because some stranger wants to come take a look at it.
Likewise, buyers tend to have other things on their minds during this time of year, and showings naturally decrease and often don’t ramp up again until the middle or even the end of January.
However, buyers who are bucking the trend and who are out looking during the holiday season can be more motivated to find the right property. Clearly, these are the buyers that you do want to make time for.
There is a popular conception that sellers who keep their homes on the market during the holidays must really be desperate to sell. Whether this is actually true or not, the idea that there might be bargains at hand can also bring more serious buyers out on the hunt.
Of course, many folks are down here visiting from places with very unfortunate climactic situations, and when your home thermometer is reading -20° F and you haven’t seen the sun for three months, short sleeves and sunshine can be very powerful motivators toward securing a piece of the Florida dream.
If you are serious about selling your home, we definitely suggest leaving it on the market, but you can certainly call your Realtor and black out any times when you’ll be especially busy, and we can schedule showings around those times.
Whether you are buying or selling, remember to ask your broker if he or she is going to be around for the holidays, so that you can establish appropriate contingency plans if an offer comes in or if you’d like to make one.
Of course we will be here for the entire holiday season, and we hope to see you around the island, the bayway, the beach, or perhaps downtown after a carriage ride to see the gorgeous lights and decorations along Beach Drive and through the Old Northeast.
Happy Holidays!
