Home for the Holidays

Although I write almost every year about the best time to buy a home--between Halloween and Thanksgiving--and the reason is that people are very motivated to sell at that point, I should also mention that there is one other tip.  If you have a home that is decorated beautifully for the holidays each year, and it is in mint condition, there are always some buyers that have to get a home before the beginning of the new year, usually for job-related reasons, and they are among the most motivated buyers that we see all year.  They're in a hurry, are anxious to get through with the process so that they too can celebrate the holidays, and aren't interested in doing extra work to a new home.  Anything new on the market, that shows well and needs no work, is prime for this type of buyer.  So don't assume that you can't sell your home before spring.  Just think realistically about the effort involved, the showings you'll have to be flexible about, and about the premium you might receive for that extra push.  It just might be worth it.