We are heading for the holiday season again and, for some, the added festivities of Christmas. There is also end of year school examinations and the anxiety of results and school reports. There are the added activities of school plays, charity work, shopping and entertaining, holiday arrangements to finalise and maybe family coming to stay … the list goes on and on and you wonder what on earth made you decide to put your home on the market at such a busy time. You want to sell your house but, at the same time, you are trying to justify this extra pressure, and you are tempted to put everything on hold and start again once the rush and bustle is over.
You psych yourself into believing that if you are this busy, buyers will be as well. The house will have to be kept tidy and clean, particularly for show days and, if you cancel any of them, you may lose a buyer. If you do get a signed offer, you face the possibility of packing and having to look for a new house or making arrangements to rent somewhere. Ultimately, you are really not sure what you should be doing, but leaving it until after the holiday period sounds like a far better idea!
Stop right there! Taking the house off the market is not going to get it sold, and it could send out the wrong message to buyers if you've had it on the market in the weeks leading up to the holidays. Your assumption that buyers are busy is correct. If they are in the business of buying a house, they will be. Reverse the situation and project your thoughts to what you will be doing once your house is sold, and the urgency with which you will undertake the task of finding a new home. Very little stands in the way of this, you can be assured.
This is the time to speak to your real estate agent. How can they help you, what is the advantage of having the services they provide and what will your role be?
Holidays are the best time to sell houses. Most buyers have time off from work and husbands, wives, and children are relaxed, which affords them an excellent opportunity to view houses together.
Your estate agent will organise a marketing strategy which will give you a pretty good idea of what is going to happen. Viewings will be personally supervised and, with an adept agent, potential clients will be advised that it is a holiday period and the house may not be as immaculate as it is normally.
All you have to do is work your schedule according to the marketing plan and go out and enjoy yourself. This means that you can organise for the house to be clean and tidy, and arrange activities out of the house when a show day is scheduled or viewing appointments are made. You will receive regular feedback so that you can gauge the market response and the way forward.
Consider some of the following points before making your decision:
a) Activity in the property market over holiday period varies countrywide, but buyers looking for property at this time are usually serious and they have a purpose.
b) Buyers' objectives are to find the right home at the right price. Although they may choose to look after the busy holiday period, they will always be looking at advertisements to see what is on the market that suits their requirements.
c) Relocating families often don't have a choice about the timing of property hunting. They are anxious to settle into a new home before schools open and new jobs begin.
d) It is usually over holiday periods that your house looks at its best and most inviting. You have de-cluttered, cleaned and made it ready for the gathering of family and friends, so most of the work of getting your home ready for people to view has been done. A quick clean up is all that is necessary to impress potential buyers.
No matter what holiday period you are celebrating, it is usually a period when friends and family gather. This allows buyers to see family activity and to visualise their own family life in the warm and attractive environment you have created. Should you market your house over a holiday period, you may have scored if other sellers have decided to withdraw from the marketplace. More buyers will target your home and you will be in a strong negotiating position with regard to price and timing on receipt of a contract.
As stressful as selling a house is, particularly over a holiday period, the process will go smoothly if you are organised. More importantly, you will not be losing the opportunity of having more buyers visit your house than in quieter times.
Author - Unknown