Act now if you want to sell your Thanet home in the New Year
It has started – have you noticed? – there are signs that people have started to decorate their homes for the festive season. You may not be ready to hang the tinsel just yet, but if you are thinking of selling your home in the new year then you need to act now. But why? It is November and the new year is weeks away, surely you can get all the hustle and bustle of Christmas and the celebration of the end of 2021 out of the way before you start to consider placing your home on the market? You may decide to think again when you have read our reasoning.
You could miss out
This has certainly been a year where the number of properties for sale has been low and buyer demand extremely high. Yet even in this sellers’ market you can still miss out if your home isn’t visible online for the busiest season of the year. Whilst most of us are trying to put together our kids’ latest toys, or nodding off stuffed full of Christmas dinner and chocolate, millions of us are spending our time looking for a new home.
Rightmove has reported that there was a 50% increase in the number of people scrolling through their website on Boxing Day last year compared with the year before. This post-Christmas surge has actually become the norm and as a result, at Oakwood homes we like to get sellers prepared so we can launch marketing their home to hit this influx of buyers.
"As soon as Christmas Day is out of the way there’s a boom in people searching for property on Boxing Day, perhaps with time available during the holiday season and the resolve to enjoy their next Christmas in new surroundings. That is likely to push prices higher again and increase the competition from other buyers. Some of those additional buyers will also be new sellers who have held back from launching their property to market until this Boxing Day buyer boom, judging it to be a good time to sell and to move in 2022,” states Rightmove’s Director of Property Data,Tim Bannister.
No time to waste
Whether you’re happy for your home to be marketed now or prefer to wait for the post-Christmas rush, we want to get things moving straight away. Buyers want to be able to see your home, and as soon as that tree goes up and your decorations start to impede every room, as beautiful and cosy as your home may be, your home will be hidden. Room sizes can feel distorted due to the festive décor – once a large airy space can now feel a little snug, and those beautiful features that are the focal point of your home start to blend into the background.
This is why it is essential that we create all your marketing materials now, before you are rushing to hang those Christmas lights. Buyers will be able to view your home online as it actually is and, what’s more, your marketing will not date. Having Christmas photos may look lovely at this time of year, but come January when we head back to normality, those images will already be starting to look dated and can put buyers off as a result.
What should you do?
Begin by gaining a valuation on your property – you don’t just want our opinion but also that of a couple of other agents so you can compare. You want to choose the agent who will provide you with the best experience, service and support for you and your home. It isn’t just about finding you a buyer, but also ensuring that the sale completes as smoothly as possible. A good agent will take the weight of the sales process off your shoulders and iron out any hurdles, leaving you to dream about how you will decorate your new home.
Be clear
This is a busy time, we are all juggling many hats, and even those who can boast to have done all their Christmas shopping will still have lists of things they want to get done as long as your arm. Be clear: think about when you want the marketing of your home to begin and also when you will start to accept viewings.
If you wish marketing to start before Christmas, be prepared for buyers wanting to view your home. There is nothing more off-putting than trying to view a property that is not available or inflexible to meet your needs. You could do more harm than good by undertaking this approach, but you may wish to stipulate that viewings can be undertaken until a specific date and commence again in the new year.
As we have mentioned it is the period between Christmas and New Year that sends property website servers into a frenzy, so if you want this Christmas just for you and your family, then WAIT. Request your home be marketed to hit this busy time so you can tap into all those incredibly keen buyers eager to move into their new home in 2022.
On the move
It is funny how the thought of a new year, a new beginning, drives so many people to want that new beginning to be in a new home. If you see your 2022 within different surroundings then get in touch with our team today so we can ensure that you can enjoy Christmas and truly have something to celebrate in the New Year. Call our team today on 03300 577654 and let us help you sell your Thanet home.