Yesterday was the busiest day for property sales that we've had in a long time. I spent the morning today trying to track down the reasons, and there are several possible causes. Two sales came about because the owners brought down their prices. In at least one instance, that produced multiple offers, so clearly buyers are motivated also. They aren't closing before the end of the year, so I don't think it's for tax purposes on the seller's part. It could, however, be due to the cold weather and the arrival of heating bills.
Two of the buyers are coming from Manhattan, so we're wondering whether the bonuses came early this year. There have been some news articles that make that claim, so it could be true. One buyer is about to start a new job, and was in a hurry (although, in the past, those people could have--and probably would have--rented in the short term). One renter turned into a buyer, and that could be an outgrowth of interest rates rising, with the prospect of higher rates next year.
We've had walk-ins as well, which means that people have gotten the message that the time to buy is now. Or maybe it's our Christmas present as agents! Either way, we'll take it.
