The weather outside might be frightful, but that’s in your favor if you want a new home for the holidays. With fewer shoppers during this busy time, you could make a better deal. The holidays might be just the ticket to snap up a home while others are shopping for the holidays.
The most motivated sellers will still have their homes on the market during the holidays. Sellers are serious about selling for any number of reasons, such as having to move to another city before school starts again.
One caution: Sellers might have their homes decorated for the holidays. Keep in mind that your taste in decorations might well differ. The most important things are the bones of the house, not the temporary decorations. Demand for real estate is generally lower in winter, especially in places with snow on the ground. But shopping at this time of year has its benefits. With less competition from other buyers, your offer on a home has a better chance of being accepted.
Consumer confidence is up and so are sales of new and existing homes. Prices are up another 2 percent this month and rising. Lenders, real estate agents, appraisers and others involved in a home sale will have more time to work with you in December.
As everyone knows, interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in decades. Because mortgage payments are lower, you might be able to buy a larger home than you planned or one with more amenities.