5 Reasons Why Selling Your Home in Winter is a Smart Move

If you have been thinking about putting your house on the market, now is an excellent time. Perhaps that sounds crazy to you, and you are thinking winter is not the best time to sell. Maybe you simply picture the “for sale” sign on your well-groomed, green lawn.

But selling your home in winter can be extremely successful, especially right now! There are several advantages to listing your home this winter:

1. It’s a seller's market in many areas of New England right now: This means inventory and the selection of available homes for sale is well below the demand of today’s anxious buyers. Buyers are waiting to see new listings hit the market and are prepared to bid on them quickly and competitively.
   
   
2. Less competition from other sellers: Many sellers will wait until spring, and with fewer homes on the market, your home simply has less competition in the winter. If a buyer likes your home, there may not be another one like it on the market yet. This increases buyer commitment and urgency to present an acceptable offer to sellers.
   
   
3. Serious buyers are ready to make an offer: In the warmer months, you may get more scheduled showings for your home, but many are not ready to place an offer. Getting ready for each showing is work (unless you love to declutter, clean and vacuum your house every few days). In winter, you are dealing with serious buyers who are braving the weather and have fewer homes to choose from, so you are less likely to prepare for numerous showings that do not yield offers.
   
   
4. No weeding or mowing is required: During the warmer months, your landscaping is a big factor of your curb appeal. Your lawn, flowers, and shrubs all must be well-maintained. But in the winter, the criteria for a beautiful exterior softens a bit. Sellers still need to take care of minor repairs and make sure their house looks well-maintained, cared for, and clean. This means your driveway and walkway should be well cleared of snow and ice, but you will not have to maintain your lawn and landscaping.
   
   
5. Finding a new home will be easier without the influx of warm weather buyers: If you’re selling your home to upgrade to a new one, you will have less competition when it is time for you to look for a new home to buy. Banks and lending institutions are also less busy during this time of year, so your loan may progress with fewer delays and more attention to your schedule and needs.

Winter can be one of the best times to sell your house, and this year there is big demand for new listings. This can make selling your house easier and less time consuming.  Speak to a local real estate agent about what the market is like in your community and how you can get started.