There’s a myth many home sellers believe, and that is you should wait until Spring to put your home on the market. In fact, you should do the opposite and list in the Winter. Selling in the Winter has a greater advantage in terms of the type of buyers they attract, marketing and more. Here are the top 10 reasons that debunk the myth to wait to list for warmer weather and why Winter is the time to sell!

1. Less competition. Many homeowners think that waiting for Spring & Summer is ideal, so there is a Spring Rush of homes hitting the market. By listing in the months prior, you don’t have to worry about a saturated market. Your home is more visible to buyers.
2. Corporate transfers. Statistically, January & February are the highest months of the year for corporate employees transferring and relocating. This makes listing during the Winter months and opportune time.
3. Non-contingent buyer. If you’re looking to buy, then you’d want to be able to sell now because by the time Spring arrives you have the opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer. Which means that if you find the home you love, you’ve already sold your current home and you won’t have to wait until you find a Spring Buyer. In addition, because more homes are for sale during the Spring, this could drive down market prices meaning you have the ability to sell high and buy low.
4. Low interest rates. Interest rates are currently at a historic low in the 2.4% range. But as great as that is, those numbers aren’t going to last forever and are predicted to go up above 0.4% in 2017.
5. Better Showings. During the Winter months homes feel warmer and more inviting. If you have a fireplace? Fire that baby up and put her to use to help welcome potential buyers as they come for showings.
6. Timing. Ultimately you have a goal typically when listing on when you hope to sell by. By listing in the Winter you give yourself a better chance of hitting that goal.
7. Marketing. With the number of listings that drop during the Winter, it frees up more time for us to increase our marketing efforts and prowess into marketing your property. That means more open houses, ads, posts, etc, all geared to make your house incredibly visible to the buyers out searching.
8. You Control Showings. Although your house is on the market, you still have control to restrict showings and the date and times you’d prefer to not allow people in your home.
9. Increased Web Traffic. Home searches increase during the winter months as potential buyers start buckling down searching for homes that pique their interest.
10. Serious Buyers. The number one reason you should list during the Winter is that the buyers you will meet are serious about purchasing. Not to say Spring and Summer buyers aren’t, however they spend more time browsing the market. Winter buyers are more motivated to find the home that’s best for them and get the deal done!