The holidays are a busy time of year for everyone. And, as a homeowner trying to sell your place, you've got a lot on your plate. You may have family in town, the kids are out of school on break, and there's the gift shopping and decorating, plus keeping your house in tip-top shape for showings... Since it's a slow time of year for real estate anyway, you wonder, Doesn't it make sense to take my home off the market until after the holidays? But before taking down that For Sale sign, consider the reasons it's a smart idea to keep your property up for sale right now.
1.) Even if December and January are typically "soft" months for residential sales, there are a lot of motivated buyers this year due to the federal homebuyer tax credit extension. It is only available through April and buyers who want that refund (of up to $8,000) don't want to wait to make a purchase and secure the credit.
2.) Many people interested in buying a home use their holiday time off to look at properties. It's a period when married couples and families can easily get together to tour homes without having to juggle schedules.
3.) During this time of year, the proportion of serious buyers actively visiting listings is higher. Buyers that are willing to venture out in the often treacherous winter weather tend to be extremely motivated, which is the type of buyer you don't want to exclude.
4.) Lots of buyers are waiting for the "off-season" to start looking, when there is less buyer competition and more deals.
5.) Remember, you're not selling this place on your own—your listing agent is on the job. You can still do all your holiday shopping and run errands while your realtor coordinates showings and meets buyers.
6.) What other time of year is your home as merry and inviting as the holidays? This is a great opportunity to WOW buyers with some festive "staging".
7.) People that relocate to Chicago from another city or state do not always have their preference of when to move and may have to make a holiday-time transition.
8.) You can negotiate closing and possession to accommodate your schedule, so you don't have to worry about trying to pack up and move in the middle of the holidays. Keep in mind that it usually takes 30-60 days to close from the point when a contract is written.
9.) There are generally fewer new listings this time of year so your home will have less competition from fresh Chicago property listings just coming on the market.
10.)The chances of selling your home if it's not on the market are slim to none, so why not keep it listed?
