In our December Property Market update, Lou Fletcher from Piccolo Sales and Lettings in Salisbury talks about how the Christmas period has become one of the busiest times for house hunters.
“Every year we see more and more people browsing properties on Rightmove during the post-Christmas Day festive period. On Boxing Day 2020 Rightmove recorded 54% more visits than in the previous year! Statistics show that the busiest days of the year for internet traffic on property portals are the days immediately following Christmas and Boxing Day.
Many estate agents encourage sellers to list their property over the festive period so that they take full advantage of this busy time and there are definite advantages to listing your property now. Potential buyers have more time on their hands to browse property portals while they’re off work and a new house is almost certainly on their Christmas list!
Beat The Competition: With fewer sellers before Christmas you can stand out from the crowd and face less competition on the property portals. Buyer demand is year-round and this is an opportunity for you to list your property when supply is down.
Buyers Are Serious: There are fewer speculative buyers looking at this time of year so you are likely to have viewings with serious buyers who are committed to moving quickly and making a worthwhile offer. They’re often buying with a deadline or for a particular reason, such as relocating, new job or baby on the way.
Good Opportunity: Don’t miss out on the opportunity to sell your home over the festive period. You could be much more successful than you thought.
A good estate agent will caution you against rushing into listing your property if you’re not quite ready but there’s still time to get a head-start by preparing to sell now.
Get your photographs taken now
You might decide you want your property advertised on Rightmove a few weeks into the new year, by which time a Christmas tree can make your listing look dated. Ask your estate agent to take photos of your home before you put your festive decorations up.
Agents are also likely to have much more time to prepare the marketing of your home, now, and over the next few weeks, than during the traditional holiday season between Christmas and the New Year.
Do the prep now, sell when you’re ready
Getting your home ready to sell doesn’t need to mean viewings will start next week. It’s a bit of like getting your Christmas shopping done early — a big tick off the list. You can arrange your property valuation, instruct an estate agent and finalise the details of your property listing, so whenever you’re ready, you can ask your agent to put your home on the market.
If you’re worried about having time to tidy up after Christmas, you could put your home on the market on Boxing Day, but arrange for viewings to start sometime in the first few weeks of January. This will also give your agent time to generate interest in your home.
Become a ‘power-buyer’ so you’re in a strong position when you find your dream home
If you decide to put your home on the market before Christmas and you’re able to secure a buyer early in the New Year, you’ll be putting yourself in a great position when you find your next home.
For expert advice on the property and local rental market or for further information on our December Property Market Update contact Piccolo Sales and Lettings. You can call on 01722 580059 or email via info@piccoloproperty.co.uk.
-
Our Customers
We’ve been helping people with their mortgage and protection needs for over 15 years. Find out what our happy customers have to say about us.
More info -
Recommend Us
At Your Mortgage Expert, we believe that something good is worth sharing. So, if you’re happy with our service, why not tell a friend?
More info -
Contact Us
If you would like to speak to us about your mortgage and protection needs, please get in touch
Contact us
Our handy mortgage calculator
Our mortgage calculator can help you get a better idea of how much you can afford to borrow, and how much your mortgage will cost you in monthly repayments.
CALCULATE NOWUseful Resources
-
Legal and privacy information
Your Mortgage Expert Ltd is an appointed representative of Mortgage Advice Bureau which are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
-
5 Reasons to use a mortgage broker
We often get asked why use an Impartial Mortgage Broker like Your Mortgage Expert. Here’s our five top reasons.
-
5 Tips for remortgaging your property
Adam Nanson from Your Mortgage Expert shares his top five tips for remortgaging. These will help ensure you save time, money and stress.
-
5 Reasons to remortgage your home
Thinking about remortgaging but not sure whether it’s for you? Read our handy guide to find out if a remortgage is suitable for you.
A MORTGAGE IS A LOAN SECURED AGAINST YOUR HOME. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT.
There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual amount you pay will depend upon your circumstances. The fee is up to 1% but a typical fee is 0.3% of the amount borrowed.