There’s a myth many home sellers believe, and that is you should wait until Spring to put your home on the market. In fact, you should do the opposite and list in the Winter. Selling in the Winter have a greater advantage in terms of the type of buyers they attract, marketing and more. Here are the top 10 reasons that debunk the myth to wait to list for warmer weather and why Winter is the time to sell in Lafayette Indiana!
The #1 reason to list your house in the winter:
Less competition. Housing supply traditionally shrinks at this time of year, so the choices buyers have will be limited. As you can see, the ‘sweet spot’ to list your house for the most exposure naturally occurs in the late fall and winter months (November – January).
Here are the other 9 reasons to list your home in winter….
2. Corporate transfers. Statistically, January & February are the highest months of the year for corporate employees transferring and relocating. This makes listing during the Winter months and opportune time.
3. Non-contingent buyer. If you’re looking to buy, then you’d want to be able to sell now because by the time Spring arrives you have the opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer. Which means that if you find the home you love, you’ve already sold your current home and you won’t have to wait until you find a Spring Buyer. In addition, because more homes are for sale during the Spring, this could drive down market prices meaning you have the ability to sell high and buy low.
4. Low interest rates. Interest rates are currently at a historic low in the 4% range. But as great as that is, those numbers aren’t going to last forever and are predicted to go up in 2020.
5. Better Showings. During the Winter months homes feel warmer and more inviting. If you have a fireplace? Fire that baby up and put her to use to help welcome potential buyers as they come for showings.
6. Timing. Ultimately you have a goal typically when listing on when you hope to sell by. By listing in the Winter you give yourself a better chance of hitting that goal.
7. Marketing. With the number of listings that drop during the Winter, it frees up more time for us to increase our marketing efforts and prowess into marketing your property. That means more open houses, ads, posts, etc, all geared to make your house incredibly visible to the buyers out searching.
8. You Control Showings. Although your house is on the market, you still have control to restrict showings and the date and times you’d prefer to not allow people in your home.
9. Increased Web Traffic. Home searches increase during the winter months as potential buyers start buckling down searching for homes that pique their interest.
10. Serious Buyers. The number one reason you should list during the Winter is that the buyers you will meet are serious about purchasing. Not to say Spring and Summer buyers aren’t, however they spend more time browsing the market. Winter buyers are more motivated to find the home that’s best for them and get the deal done!
Added Bonus: Serious Buyers Are Out in the Winter
At this time of year, purchasers who are serious about buying a home will be in the marketplace. You and your family will not be bothered and inconvenienced by mere ‘lookers.’ The lookers are at the mall or online doing their holiday shopping.
Bottom Line
If you’re thinking about selling your Lafayette area home and want to find out what your home is worth or want to discuss the pros and cons of listing your home in the winter, get in touch. It’s never too early to start planning for your sale and we’ll show you why selling your home during the winter is worth it with The Romanski Group. We can also schedule to have exterior photos taken of your house before the season changes so that when you are ready to list, we’ll be able to market your home in the best manner possible!
For up-to-date information on YOUR Indiana area neighborhood or a FREE Seller Consultation – call The Romanski Group at (765) 293.9200. Using an experienced team is the way to get your home SOLD! You deserve the BEST Real Estate Team in the Lafayette Indiana area!
