There is always a great temptation to get ‘Christmas out of the way’ before we start being proactive about major ‘life’ decisions.
But when it comes to putting your house on the market, there are some good reasons not to delay beginning the process until after the New Year.
There is a general misunderstanding that the property market grinds to a halt in December but the reality is very different.
Buyers don’t stop looking just because the Season of Goodwill is upon us and sellers should act accordingly.
There are a number of benefits to listing in December and we’ll explore some of them here.
Stand out from the crowd
Probably because of the commonly-held misunderstanding mentioned above, typically, fewer homes come to market at Christmas – even though there are highly-motivated buyers out there looking for a property. Many of them will have already sold their own homes so they will be eager to keep looking for a new place. Because there are fewer properties being listed, the run up to Christmas is a fantastic opportunity for your home to stand out in the crowd. Make sure the online marketing is first class, because it’s more than likely that your property will first be spotted on those portals.
Don’t get caught in the New Year rush
Once the last remnants of torn Christmas wrapping paper have hit the recycling bin, many sellers decide it may be time to put their home on the market and there is often a glut at the turn of the year. Savvy sellers will have listed earlier because they may be in a position to snap up the best of the properties coming to market in the New Year.
Christmas time is holiday time
Almost everyone takes time off work for Christmas and that means they have more time to scrutinise those listings, drive around to search out attractive areas and research their financing options. They are free to plot and plan their next move, discuss it with their partners and weigh up options for schools for the kids.
Boom time on Boxing Day
Both Rightmove and Zoopla report that Boxing Day is one of the busiest days of the year for website traffic. It’s worth remembering that in 2020, Zoopla reported a whopping 70.5% increase in traffic on Boxing Day. Obviously, the property market is not as buzzing as it was three years ago but nevertheless, eager buyers will be poring over those portals while they relax at home with a box of chocolates and a glass of something special. Wise sellers are not going to miss out on the Boxing Day binge.
All spruced up!
Christmas is generally when everybody’s home is looking at its best. Many home owners decorate in time for Christmas – so the old place looks like a new pin for visitors and guests. As a nation we invest time and money to ensure our homes are painted and polished until they shine. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, we add the lights and decorations that add that special family Christmas feel that many buyers are searching for.
Sell at Christmas, move by Spring
The other advantage of listing at Christmas time is that if you are successful in finding a buyer pretty quickly, the chances are that you’ll be in your new home when the dark days of Winter give way to Spring. Obviously, the time from sale agreed to completion can vary but even a sluggish sale will have you comfortably settled in by the time you’re enjoying the Summer Solstice.
In the meantime – Merry Christmas!
If you would like guidance on buying or selling a property, we would be delighted to help.Along with providing top-quality real estate agent services, we also have our own dedicated team of mortgage advisors.
You can get in touch with us on X (@KingsGroupLLP) and Facebook (facebook.com/KingsGroupLLP)
