Can You Sell Your Home in Winter?

Posted by Justin Havre on Monday, March 11th, 2019 at 1:18pm.

What's the Value of Selling Your Home in Winter? They found that homes listed in winter have a 9 percent better chance of selling and spend a week less on the market than homes sold in other seasons ― including what most in the business tout as the "spring selling season."

94% of buyers do start their search online for their next home, we want to ensure that even in the winter months, your home still grabs the attention of home buyers. There is no surprise that homes have much better curb appeal during the summer months. Let's be real, snow covered yards and drive ways are not of much interest. So, if you are thinking of selling this winter...

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Start Preparing Your Home For a Winter Sale in the Spring

It's hard to imagine that in just a couple months we'll be adding extra layers of clothes, scraping our windshields and shoveling snow, but it's true.

The one problem with selling your home in the winter, at least for the buyer, is that they have a tough time envisioning what the landscaping will look like when the snow melts. We can remedy this by taking the exterior photos now, while the sky is blue and the grass is green. We call these "green photos" and it's a service we offer our clients at this time of the year.

If you think you will be selling, contact us to get your home on the list. We'll take the interior photos later, so this pre-listing photography is easy and convenient and we won't need access to the home's interior.

There's no obligation and never any charge for this service.

Selling Your Home During the Holidays

It's the time of the year that we've all been waiting for in one way or another. The holidays aren't only for children since many adults also enjoy the spirit of this festive season. You could say that this time of the year is quite a distraction from regular day-to-day living and business!

Most business establishments are closed, people are traveling in droves to get back to see their families and schools are closed down for the holidays.

Should You Sell Your Home During The Holidays

You may be quite surprised to find out that there are quite a lot of buyers that are still looking for homes on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and on New Year's Day. Some of these potential buyers need to find a home quickly and are keeping their housing options open during the holidays. While it's true that most people are shopping for a home in the spring, there is no lack of winter buyers to be found in the Calgary region.

Finding The Professionals That Remain Open

There are a lot of real estate agents that are more than willing to show a home during the holidays and even write and prepare offers. Most agents understand that a home sale can take place at the most unexpected times and are ready to work with a client at any time.

While it can be more difficult to find lawyers, house surveyors, inspectors etc. during this busy time of the year, this is not to say that they cannot be found. Your real estate agent will be able to help you out in this regard if a professional is needed during the holidays.

The Value of Selling a Home During Winter

In general, buyers that are looking for a new home at a certain time of the year often tend to be quite serious about making a purchase. When you have your home on the market during the holidays you won't be seeing a lot of casual browsers asking for a viewing. The ones that will be knocking at your door are usually quite determined to find a home quickly. This works out well for the seller since the inventory of homes is usually down as well at Christmas time.

You really don't have anything to lose by keeping your home listed during the holiday season. There are a lot of motivated buyers that are desperate to find a new home fast and yours may be just the one that sparks their interest this holiday season.