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8 Reasons to Sell Your House This Winter

Generally, when you think about the best time of year to sell a home you think of the springtime. The weather is becoming nice, the sun is shining, and people are going outside more. It makes sense. But did you know that selling your home during the winter could actually be better?

That’s right. Many real estate agents claim to have had their best months during the holiday season and just after. On top of that, the numbers show that the winter months are becoming increasingly better times to sell. The median listing price nationwide in February 2018 was $274,900, a 10 percent increase from February 2017, according to Realtor.com.

So before you start thinking presents were the only things you’d be wrapping and packing this season, read on to find out why you should sell your home this winter, with help from an article published on Realtor.com:

  1. Take Advantage of the Low Inventory

    Think about it: while everyone else is holding off on selling, you can jump in and take advantage of the seller’s market. A low inventory means less competition for you, which means you can likely sell at a higher price tag. The springtime is overcrowded with available houses and it creates much more of a buyer’s market. This can make the winter an ideal time to sell your home.

  2. You Will Be Dealing with Serious Buyers

    Some people are simply thinking about moving and just want to see what’s on the market. This isn’t typically the case in the winter months. During the cold months of the year, the serious buyers come to play. Having a handful of serious buyers can be much better for you than a bunch of iffy ones.

    On the same token, buyers are going to know that you are a serious seller. To put your home on the market in the dead of winter means you are ready to go. The mutual dedication to buying and selling can make for a quick and easy closing.

  3. You Can Buy Your New House with Less Competition

    Most of the time, when you sell your home it’s because you’re looking to buy another. In the winter months, you will share the same benefit of the buyers looking at your house, less competition. Negotiating can be more acceptable with fewer buyers to compete with.

    In addition, keep in mind that the winter months are typically less busy for lenders. This means that when it comes time to go under contract, your financing can happen much faster and allow for a quicker closing.

  4. More Buyers from Corporate Relocations

    January and February are some of the biggest months for corporate relocation, according to Jennifer Baldinger, licensed associate real estate broker at Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty in Scarsdale, NY in this Realtor.com article. This means you have lots of buyers out there who are looking to move quickly. Those who are relocating typically only have so much time to move in and get settled before they need to begin their new job, so they won’t be spending much time kicking tires. The sense of urgency with these buyers can mean a quick sale and sometimes a bigger payout.

  5. More Buyers with Monetary Bonuses

    Buyers are always looking for ways to come up with funds to cover closing costs or for a bigger down payment. At the end of the year, many employers give out monetary bonuses. This could be the motivation that buyers need to upgrade their living situations or enter the housing market for the first time.

  6. Buyers Can See Your Home Handling Winter Weather

    When buying a home, it’s always a good idea to try and catch it on a rainy day to see how the house handles water. The same thing can be true for snow. Does your roof hold snow really well? Is your driveway easy to plow? Selling your home in the winter allows you to showcase how ready your home is for the harsher conditions.

  7. Days on Market Don’t Matter as Much

    During the high-inventory months, buyers are looking for reasons to eliminate certain houses. A lot of the time, a home with more than 50-100 days on market will turn off a potential buyer. This isn’t necessarily the case in the winter months. Instead of immediately jumping to the conclusion that something must be wrong with the house, winter buyers often just assume it’s because it’s the wintertime.

  8. Spring Buyers Are Just Around the Corner

    Have you been to a big box store yet? Spring decorations galore! It’s not too far away! And yes – spring is an awesome time to buy and sell. Just keep in mind that people start to think about buying in the wintertime well before those spring months. Get a head start and put your house on the market early so those early bird shoppers can fall in love while they’re snuggled up on the sofa browsing the Internet.

Feeling ready to sell in the Greater Baltimore area? Contact our team here: https://www.themdhometeam.com/sell/

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Josh Mente

Real Estate Leader Josh Mente, is a founding member and owner of The MD Home Team of Keller Williams Excellence, and is responsible for business administration and marketing for the firm. Josh’s career path began in 1998 as a loan officer for Eastern Savings Bank, where he managed national accounts. He later joined Option One Mortgage originating more than 500 transactions per year valued at $100M+ in sales. In 2006, Mente shifted his expertise to real estate sales, gained his license and focused on buy/fix/sell transactions. Josh is a member of Elite Real Estate Network (ERN), the 2009 Rookie of the Year for Long and Foster corporate, and in 2012 ranked 206 and 2013 ranked 234 in Real Trends of the Wall Street Journal, ranking in the top 250 agents nationwide for all brokerages. From any early age, Josh was introverted and worked hard to overcome a fears of sales - a business that doesn't lend itself well to introverted people. When challenged by a manager that he didn’t have what it took for a specific job, Josh pushed forward and won approval in his new position. That was a pivotal moment that set the pace for his success in real estate sales. Having earned an AA degree from Montgomery College in business administration in 1995 and a Bachelors of Arts Degree from Towson University in Mass Communications 1997, Josh married his college sweetheart Melinda and they now have three wonderful daughters that provide the opportunity to watch them grow up and experience things for the first time. A committed sports fanatic, Josh spends time on the golf course, and follows the Ravens and Orioles as a season ticket holder. He is a part owner of two restaurants in Manhattan, enjoys music and time away with the family at their beach house in Rehoboth, DE. He hopes to find time for his hobbies that include building furniture, playing guitar, learning Spanish and flying planes.

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