Is listing a home in the winter a good idea?

Winter is a great time to list your home.

Don’t believe us? Consider the following statistics:

Homes listed in the winter are 9% more likely to sell than homes listed during other seasons.

They sell a week faster.

They also sell for 1.2% more relative to list price.

And they are more likely to sell above asking price than homes listed in summer or fall.

Now, if you find these statistics surprising, you’re not alone.

Conventional wisdom says to pass on the real estate market during winter and to wait for spring.

As you can see from the numbers above, that’s just not smart.

Yes, it’s definitely true there are fewer buyers in the winter.

But that’s not actually a problem when you think about it.

For one thing, many home buyers in the winter might be new to North Alabama and need to settle quickly due to first quarter job relocations.

Others might be looking to take advantage of lower mortgage rates, which have historically gone up in the spring.

Still others have simply been searching for their dream home for months without success.

Whatever their reason, the buyers who are searching in winter are much more serious and eager to buy…

… and this more than offsets their lower numbers.

So, if you’ve been thinking of listing your home, don’t let the winter stop you.

However, do keep in mind that selling your home in the winter is a totally different ballgame than during other seasons.

For one thing, you should price your home closer to market value if you’re listing in winter.

You simply won’t get much of a chance to drop the price if it’s too high, due to the lower number of buyers who will come for a showing.

You can start by getting an idea of what your home is worth based on recent North Alabama sales:

Enter your home address to find out what your home is currently worth

Also, you’ll have to prepare your home differently to make it attractive to buyers in spite of the darker, colder days.

If you’re considering selling your home, give us a call at (256)-799-9000. We’ll share a few winter-prep tips to help you sell your home for a cool 5% to 10% more.

And what if you’re looking to buy? Well, we have some good news for you as well.

Some great homes have recently come on the market around North Alabama.

(Perhaps their owners have been reading the same research we cited above.)

Click here to see the available North Alabama homes on sale.

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!

This Week’s Closings: