Listing a House in December? How Selling During the Winter Can be Good for Homeowners

The winter season, which takes place between December 21^st and March 20th, has proven to actually be one of the most successful times to list and sell your home in the United States. San Diego is no exception! The winter has led to quicker home sales for sellers, as well as higher prices. In fact, researchers found that in December, 17% of listings produced above-asking offers (the highest percentage all year).

So, if you find yourself wondering whether December or any other winter month for that matter is a good time to sell: you’ve found your answer. Yes, winter is a great time to sell a home in San Diego! Sellers will benefit from a whole slew of opportunities in the winter season, listed below:

Benefits of Selling During the Winter Months

• New Year relocations – Many people are offered new jobs or job relocations during quarter one of each New Year. Just a small piece of advice to keep in mind- if the home you’re selling is near any large corporations, consider marketing directly to the folks who are relocating there.
• Less on the market – As a national trend, inventory takes a dip to come every winter. Fewer homeowners are willing to put their homes on the market. For some, this is because the weather is cold and the thought of moving in the snow is daunting. For homeowners in San Diego, like us, it may just be that they want to avoid selling during the busy holiday season. With less inventory, your home has less competition! Plus, many believe that the people who are willing to buy during the holidays are more motivated and less “nit-picky” than your traditional buyer (which could mean less stress and hassle).
• Real estate professionals are less busy – There’s a good possibility that your real estate agent, escrow officers involved in a transaction, and even Title companies are less busy during the winter months. Even if they do a lot of volume normally, things still tend to slow down in December and January. With that, real estate professionals involved in the transaction have less volume and can pay closer attention to you and your home transaction. Fewer clients mean a greater motivation to move the properties in their pipeline and the time to do it!
• Less open houses and showings – Let’s face it, planning your life around buyer showings during any time of the year can be a hassle. Strangers coming into your house, stopping by out front, peering into your medicine cabinets, and scoping out every inch of the home. It’s a part of the sale when you decide to list traditionally, but that doesn’t mean that it’s enjoyable. By selling your home during the winter months, you’re likely to see less foot traffic (literally) come through your home. There is usually a smaller pool of buyers willing to purchase and move in the winter months, and overall the real estate market can be a bit slower than in the spring and summer months.
• Quicker sales? – It sounds like this wouldn’t be true, but it is. Homes tend to sell more quickly in the winter months. A study from Redfin shows homes were more likely to sell within six months when listed in winter months versus spring. How could this be, you ask? Well, there’s no general consensus as to why this is the case, but that’s likely because there are many factors that play a role. One of them is the fact that inventory is low. Another factor that plays a role in homes selling faster is simply that buyers are more willing to pull the trigger and less willing to endure showing after showing.

Selling Your House Fast this Winter, Whichever Route You Take!

So, it looks to us like winter is going to be a great time to sell. Now, you just have to determine which route to selling you’d like to take. Will you a) list traditionally with an agent, b) list it on your very own, or c) sell it directly to a buyer for cash. We’re the “c” option, but we can help you with whichever you decide is best for your situation. There’s no harm or risk in giving us a call to discuss your options! Our home buying specialists are happy to help.