by Buz Wolfe
Do you think we should take the house off the market? Should we wait until spring to put our house on the market? Do houses sell over the holidays?
These are all questions which I am frequently asked. I am not sure there is a right or wrong answer to any of them, but I have observed some patterns over my many years as a Real Estate Broker.
Yes, overall activity is always down from about Thanksgiving through the early part of January. Local and “trade up” buyers often wait until after the holidays to pursue their search. The buyers that are out there looking, however, are very legitimate. They have either sold a property and need to purchase one or are, perhaps more likely, relocating into the area as a result of a job transfer.
If your home is presently on the market and you have been experiencing good and steady activity and just don’t want to be “bothered” with the process over the holiday season, I would say go ahead and take it off the market. You can likely put it back on the market in February or March and enjoy the same type of steady activity.
If, though, you have a high end or niche property which has had only sporadic activity due to the reduced pool of buyers available to you, I would absolutely keep the house on the market during the holiday season. You simply can’t take the chance on missing out on a transferee who may be coming into the community and looking for a very specific property. Relocation buyers typically tend to be higher end buyers and more inclined to purchase a special or niche property. They can’t buy your house if it is not for sale.
The market in the Carlisle area has never been terribly seasonal. For sure, the second and third quarters are typically more productive than the fourth and first. Having said that, we have had many years where our first quarter or our last quarter was the best. There is a certain “New Year’s Resolution” mentality that brings many people into the market in early January. Again, they cannot buy your house if it’s not for sale.
The key to our long time success is our ability to gauge the market, give you good counsel and advice, and then manage your transaction. We do that round the clock, twelve months a year.
I extend my personal and heartfelt wishes to you and your family for a Merry Christmas. “Remember the reason for the Season.” Remember, too, EXPERIENCE MATTERS!
*Ray L. “Buz” Wolfe, CRS has been Broker/Owner of his own firm since 1986. In 2014, he was again the Carlisle Area’s Top Producing Broker with $10,000,000 in settled transactions.
**All information believed to be accurate but not guaranteed.