You’d think from the stores that the holiday season is already upon us but not quite yet! It’s the time of year where real estate still sells in Northern Virginia, albeit at a slower pace, but it’s still a good opportunity for sellers and buyers. Typically, it can be a better opportunity for potential buyers as sellers are frequently more motivated during the winter months. During this time of year, many homes will come off the market as sellers who don’t need to sell or have to sell (they just want to sell)– will take a break and enjoy the holidays in peace without buyers coming through their homes. The houses that stay on the market are those of owners who are motivated to sell and therefore, will be active listings through the holidays. These sellers, for a variety of reasons, are ready to make a deal; in many instances because they are in a position where it is necessary for them to sell. If you are considering buying a home during the holidays, opportunity could be knocking for you.

If you need to sell during the holidays, keep in mind you could have an advantage over other sellers if you do the right things to position yourself to sell despite the previous commentary.  Why?  With less competition on the market, the timing can be beneficial especially by putting your house in the best condition with the proper staging and the right price. Again, there are buyers in the market right now looking for a great home to own (I’ve sold homes the day after Christmas), so if you do the right things, you can sell without having to drastically discount the price.  Let’s get together to determine if now is the right time for you to sell and how we can help.

Lastly, the election has had some people sitting on the fence before making their decision to buy or sell a house. Once the election is behind us, I believe we will see a flurry of activity as these people are ready to make a definitive decision on their housing. Some may move out of the area, some may buy a larger home, some may downsize and others will do nothing. It all depends on how they feel the election winner will impact their financial situation. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

It’s a good life.

Chris