Top Tips for Home Buyers and Sellers During the Holidays in 2006 by Mark Nash
Searching for or selling a home in November or December can be stressful in addition to the built-in holiday frenzy. Simple tips for buyers and sellers can minimize stress and possibly facilitate a sale.
Sellers:
Consider potential buyers spiritual backgrounds in your market before decorating for a holiday.
Less is more when decorating a home for the holidays while you are trying to sell. Streamline the amount of holiday specific decorations you display.
Large over-size Christmas trees and other holiday decorations consume space that might make rooms or landscapes appear smaller.
Install and remove exterior holiday decorations 2 weeks before and after holiday.
Turn off lighted holiday decorations before showings, buyers should focus on your home and not your decorations.
If you are having out-of-town house guests, ask your real estate agent to postpone showings until after your guests depart.
Display summer photos of home and gardens to inform buyers of the features of the home in other seasons.
Before showings remove snow, ice and leaves from walkways and driveways. Don't overlook outside entrances to basements, garages, and porches. Pet droppings are a turn-off to buyers.
Buyers:
You can find motivated sellers at year-end, but don't think they'll give away their home. Do your homework before drafting a real estate contract. Look only at sold comparable's from the last six months.
Don't be afraid to ask for concessions from sellers. Popular give-backs from sellers to buyers are: property and transfer tax rebates, closing cost credits and paying mortgage points.
When performing a home inspection in wintry weather, it's easy to forgo adequate roof and air-conditioning condenser reviews. If you can't see or operate a structural or mechanical system, ask for an extension until the weather improves.
Patience rules at the holidays. Everyone is busy, and if it takes an extra day to view a property, it's not uncommon.
Both
If you plan to close the purchase or sale of a home near a holiday, check with your agent, title company and lender to verify two business days before closing that they have all the required documents and funds have been wired to complete the transaction.
If you are closing on your new home, select a mid-week day, early in the day, to schedule your closing time, to accommodate last minute delays by a mortgage loan processor, insurance or title company.
If you plan to move during the holidays, keep in mind that moving companies will require more notice and could charge additional fees for packing, moving and delivering household goods on week-ends and holidays.
Published: December 19, 2006