A few days ago I left my home early in the morning as I always do to head to the gym and was surprisingly greeted by some Fresno Fog. It had seemed like forever ago that I had driven in anything this thick, and yet it really wasn’t that bad. Later that day a client called me and wanted to discuss whether or not he should list his home in the winter or wait to spring. After a lengthy discussion about his needs and plans for 2015 we decided it was best for him to wait. If you are considering the same please consider that last bit once more, “After a lengthy discussion about his needs and plans for 2015”. When to put your home on the market is always a tough question to answer and truth be told, timing is in fact everything. Add in the winter season and the corresponding holidays and your decision just became a bit tougher.
This doesn’t mean selling a home during the winter is a bad thing. Selling during the winter has its advantages and disadvantages, but there is really no such thing as a bad season when it comes to selling real estate in California.
A Few Reasons You Should Sell Your Home during the winter
1. People long to be home for the holidays. Home ownership offers the freedom to host large holiday gatherings and decorate however one wishes. Many potential buyers dream of cozying up in front of the outdoor fireplace and watching their kids play a game of football in the backyard. They are eager to host relatives for Thanksgiving dinner because they’ve never had an extra bedroom in previous years. New home ownership offers a variety of new experiences that many homeowners take for granted.
2. Even after the holidays, renters are eager to find a warm place to call their own before the coldest months of the season arrive. Fortunately for sellers, this is usually when inventory begins to drop, which means less competition for you. Most new sellers will decide to wait until the first of the year or even springtime to put their homes up for sale. That’s great news for you because you won’t have to compete with dozens of other homes just like yours to get buyers’ attention. Make sure your home is priced to sell and that your home is in “show” condition at all times
3. Yards are less expensive to maintain in the winter. If you’re staging a home, landscaping can cost a fortune during the spring and summer. New flowers, daily watering and lawn maintenance can eat into your profits. Buyers expect less floral landscaping in the winter, but you should still make certain that the hedges and lawn are well manicured. A few well-placed holiday decorations can go a long way, too, but don’t go overboard. Emotion plays a huge role in which home a buyer purchases, and you can capitalize on that by making your home cozy during showings. Tasteful decorations and minimum clutter will allow buyers to see their own families celebrating the holidays in your home next year.
A couple Reasons You Should Wait to Sell Your Home in the spring
1. Outdoor features may not be as appreciated by potential buyers in the cooler months. While many sellers consider less landscaping a bonus, there are some who feel they cannot showcase their home’s amenities in the winter. For instance, sellers who have a pool may feel their home is best shown in the warmer months (and they are right). The same goes for homeowners who have breath-taking spring gardens, koi ponds or other outdoor features.
2. You may not want to be bothered by potential buyers during the holidays. Homeowners who are living in the home that they are selling have to deal with last-minute showings at inconvenient times. Students who come home for the holidays may make housekeeping more challenging. Planned activities with holiday guests may be spoiled by a call from your real estate agent (good communication with your real estate agent can curb unwanted drop-ins so that you can enjoy the holiday with your family and friends). Many people also do not like the thought of inviting strangers into their home while there are presents under the Christmas tree.
Fortunately, the mild weather in Fresno/Clovis make many of the typical disadvantages of selling in the winter months less problematic, no need to shovel the snow off a walkway here 🙂 Perhaps outdoor features are not at their peak, and you may have to visit a local coffee shop from time to time to allow a buyer to view your home but if you have very little competition you are likely to get a premium for your home.
Be safe driving out there and if you need help navigating when might be the best time for you to sell your home please feel free to give me a call 559-708-8768 or shoot me an email jason@fresyes.com
Jason Farris
I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.
I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.
Fresno? I say FresYES
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