Should I Stop Looking For A House During The Holidays?

I get this question every year!

Should you stop looking for a house during the holidays? NO!

In fact, I’d say it is the opposite. Imagine going out to an open house on a cold and rainy day in mid-December. The bored listing agent is so happy to see you because you’re the only person out that day. Their seller is frustrated due to lack of showings and interest, and they really need to sell or they would probably just wait until after the holidays to hit the market. Doesn’t this seem like the right situation to be an interested buyer?

I have had some of my best success over the years at getting good deals for my buyers around the holidays. Competition is lower, and seller motivation is high. Rather than wait until springtime when you are going up against multiple offer bidding wars, you may be the only interested buyer at this time. What drives up prices is competition, so your best opportunity is when competition is at its lowest.

Now, the one caveat is that new listing inventory is also extremely low during the holidays, so the “one” may not present itself. But, if it does come on the market, this time of year is the absolute best to be a home shopper.