Ah the holidays.
Office parties, ugly sweaters, long lost family, and of course, good food.
The last thing on your mind is selling your home.
Big mistake.
Anyone looking to sell their home during the holidays actually have several advantages!
Not aware of these? Read on daring winter home seller:
Competition
This is the crux of economics, right?
More supply, less demand.
Less supply, more demand.
Guess which time year there is a limited supply of houses?
If you said winter (or the holiday season), you my friend, are spot on.
Historically, the number of homes for sale drops off during the winter season, as most families don’t want the hassle of moving if they’re going to be out of town, decorations are out, etc.
This is the wrong mindset to have.
Since the inventory of homes for sale drastically decreases, one of the best times to put your home on the market is when you’ll have less competition.
Motivation
Nobody really wants to get in their car and ride out to look at homes after work when it’s so cold that Frosty moved further South (ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point).
If they’re out looking at buying a home during the holidays, then they’re serious.
Many real estate agents will apply the counter-argument here “If the seller has their home on the market during this time, they MUST be motivated to sell.”
Nah bro, not really.
They’re saying, YES, they’d like to sell their home. Yet, lets remember something important: whether they sell their home or not, they still have somewhere to live!
Buyers however, are usually up against some type of schedule. Whether it’s a home they’ve already sold, the option to renew a lease or move, they’re out looking because they WANT or NEED to buy a home.
Interest Rates
Remember that time schedule some smart fella just mentioned?
Interest rates are DEFINITELY going up. In fact, the Federal Reserve just increased short term rates to 4.15%, with all signs pointing to 4 additional hikes in 2018.
What does this mean for buyers?
LESS BUYING POWER THE LONGER THEY WAIT.
Do I really need to elaborate on this?
Ok, ok, here’s a pretty graph to give you an idea so that you don’t have to read anymore of my subpar writing:
Availability
I know it’s a shocking idea, but the availability of key players in a real estate transaction is important to keep in mind.
A good lender, closing attorney, real estate agent, and contractors are all important cogs in the wheels of getting a home closed (we happen to know a few rockstars in each category).
Guess when these people are the busiest (HINT: it’s when the most homes are for sale)?
Sweet summer time.
Which is AWESOME for you, intrepid winter home seller.
These key cogs in your real estate machine will be available for you and able to meet tighter deadlines.
Your House Looks GOOD
Question: How many other times of the year do people drive around to stare at lights on the outside of stanger’s houses?
The holiday’s are an awesome time to showcase your home because, well, you’ve DECORATED. 
Pretty lights, fresh smelling tree, ribbons, etc.
It’s pretty much sensory overload, and people love it (excluding the Grinch and Scrooge).
Relocation Buyers
Jobs typically relocate employees around the times that their kids are out from school, so primarily during two seasons: summer and winter.
Niche market? Oh yeah.
Motivated market? You betcha.
This is a unique buyer pool that 50% of seller’s will miss as they choose to put their homes on the market in the spring. Most of the employees will need to find a home by a certain date to take advantage of relocation benefits and to be settled before the start of a new school semester.
Timing
Does the idea of having to pack up and move during the holidays cause sweaty palms, shortness of breath, and other unpleasant bodily functions?
We have a cure for that.
Sell now, move in January or February.
Whew. That was hard. Time for a 3 week nap.
Remember, as the home seller, YOU HAVE OPTIONS.
We can do a rent back. We could put the closing date out further. We could let you live in the garage (kidding).
Just because you sell your home in December, doesn’t mean you’re outta there on the 31st.
Another benefit to getting under contract in December as opposed to just getting started in February in March is TIME. By the time February and March are rolling around, you can be moved and avoid the melee of people fighting to get their home on the market!