Buying and Selling over Christmas
Many people think that trying to move house over the festive period is a mistake, but that is no longer the case. People have more free time and motivation to make a change in time for the New Year, so it can be a great time to buy and sell. (Please click or tap here to find out more)
Even in these challenging Covid times there is no harm in thinking about a home move, you don’t have to have a face to face market appraisal at this time, (although we are still carrying these out whilst following all the Covid Secure Guidelines), but instead you can try out our FREE online Valuation Tool which will give you a few ideas on price of what to expect, click here for your FREE Online Valuation
Make Your Property Visible Online
Selling your property over the Christmas period means it needs to be visible on all the major property portals (like Rightmove and Zoopla).
We can operate a ‘Do Not Disturb’ policy, so that the listing is on the property market just before Christmas but refraining from viewings until after the New Year.” Or at a time that suits you.
Rightmove say that Boxing Day and the period between Xmas and New Year is their busiest all year,
“The reason? Generally people have more time on their hands, this something we saw during Lockdown 1, when all the pent up demand over the lockdown then unleashed itself when agents were permitted to commence trading again under the strict Covid guidelines.
People see the new year as a Fresh Start, probably more so for 2021, given that 2020 has been pretty much an annus horribilis
Winter Weather
Spring is a popular time to buy and sell, but selling in winter has its benefits, too.
“Sometimes stepping into a bright or a mood lit, warm, cosy home on a bitterly cold day or a drizzly evening can have just as bigger impact as viewing a property on a warm summers day, people buy into the lifestyle that they see before them. If you love a property in the middle of winter think how much you’ll love it on a glorious summers day".
Motivated To Move
People who are looking to commit to buying in December and January are generally seen as serious buyers and it’s a great idea to make the most of this.
"The speculative, non-motivated viewings tend to decrease as people are busy preparing for Santa and won’t go out to view unless they must. There also tends to be less properties for sale around this time of year and therefore less choice and competition to compete against for a buyer’s attention.”
In the New Year, there will be more people looking to buy and sell, particularly with those looking to try and secure a purchase ahead of the Stamp Duty Deadline on 31st March.
“Many sellers hold off from putting their property to market during December and wait until after the New Year, thus missing out on the busy online searching that takes place between Christmas and New Year. Possibly because they believe there are fewer buyers and sellers looking over Christmas period, those who do though benefit from having less competition than they typically would have in the New Year or Spring.”
Over the Christmas season, there is generally less availability but still good demand, so by selling your home over the Christmas season, you are more likely to achieve a better selling price than you would trying to sell against the flurry of stock coming to market after new year.
So is the Property Market Is Still Active At Christmas?
Take our word for it. People are still interested in looking and committing to a move over Christmas, our December’s figures over recent years have indicated this with significant growth in enquiries during December and a greater number of sales being agreed and properties coming to market.
The other major benefit of all this, is that if you can secure a sale and purchase in December or early January, then you’ll have the better weather and longer days to look forward in the early Spring when it comes to moving day and enjoying your fresh start in your new home.
Please give us a call on (01953) 453838 or drop us an e-mail by clicking here to discuss the benefits of December Property Marketing