December 5, 2019
A new home isn’t just for Christmas; it’s for life. If you’re considering selling your home, you may think putting your home on the market during the Christmas and New Year period is a bad idea – but you’d be wrong. Over the holidays, motivated buyers are out there searching for new properties with the dream of a spring move. Here are eight reasons to sell your home during the holidays.
1. The housing market doesn’t stop for Christmas
While you may have heard the housing market during the holidays is dead, it’s not. Monthly sales volume statistics show that the housing market is pretty static throughout the year. January was Rightmove’s busiest ever month.
There may be fewer homes listed, but it proves that there are sellers out there ready and waiting. Want to get you home sold? Don’t wait.
2. More people are searching than any other time of year
Millions of us will receive tablets and mobile phones at Christmas, or take advantage of deals in the New Year sales and what’s the first thing buyers will do? Get searching for the perfect home.
On Boxing Day in 2018, Rightmove tweeted that its website had welcomed a staggering 25,147,701 visitors that day. It’s officially their busiest day of the year, with three times as many viewers online!
Selling during the holiday can get your property seen by thousands of people who use their spare time to look for a new home. Make sure they see yours.
3. Buyers looking at properties in detail
Some buyers may defer listing their homes until after Christmas or recommend that their estate agents remove it from their inventory of homes until January. This is a mistake. If there are fewer homes on the market, buyers will spend more time looking at them – and as we can see from the stats above, there are a lot of people watching! With fewer properties to choose from, buyers may be more likely to take a chance and arrange a viewing, which means more opportunities for them to fall in love with your home and put in an offer.
4. Selling at Christmas means you should enjoy summer in your new home
Many estate agents will advise you to avoid the holiday season and wait until spring and summer to sell your house. The problem is, a house sale can take anything from 6 weeks to 8 months, so if you wait until spring, you’re not moving until summer.
Agreeing to a pre-Christmas sale means you and your buyer are more likely to enjoy a spring move and the whole summer in a new house.
5. Your completion could be quicker than other times of the year
While it’s the party season outside, sadly we all know that work carries on. Over the Christmas period, mortgage brokers, solicitors and conveyancers all need to continue to earn – so take advantage. Selling a property over the holidays could mean a faster transition through the stages, leading to a quicker and easier home move. Even if your solicitor or conveyancer is on holiday, you’ll be top of the pile in the New Year.
6. Show off your cosy Christmas house to attract buyers
Homebuyers are looking for properties that are warm, cosy and welcoming, and those no better time to show those off than the holidays. Whether you’re selling a family home or flat that’s perfect for a first-time buyer, the winter is a great time to highlight your home and what makes it unique.
7. Christmas listings will attract bargain hunters
Bargain hunting buyers know that the housing market can slow down over the holidays and will try to use this to their advantage. Take advantage of them and list it. If you’re looking for a speedy sale and are flexible on price, then it could be the perfect time to sell your home during the holidays season.
8. Buyers will have secured mortgage offers before Christmas debt is added
The average UK household spends an additional £800 over Christmas, the Bank of England reports. This additional debt could affect their ability to borrow in the new year. List your house before Christmas and those with secured offers will be confident they can make their sums add up before they put in an offer.