Sellers....To List or Not to List...The before or after the Holidays Question

Should I list my home or is it better to wait until after the Holidays? 

The big answer to the question that so many sellers ask themselves as Christmas, Hannakuh, and the New Year nears is not necessarily what you think.

Most real estate professionals always advise sellers to list their homes during the holiday season rather than waiting, citing more serious buyers and less competition among properties, according to a recent survey from Realtor.com.


The property search site's Holiday Home Selling Survey gathered responses from 429 real estate professionals surveyed online between Oct. 26, 2011, and Nov. 8, 2011. The "holiday season" was defined as Nov. 23, 2011, to Jan. 2, 2012.

Among respondents, 60 percent said they would always advise a seller to list a home during the holiday season and agreed that "it's a good time to sell," while 30 percent said they would sometimes advise it if the seller were motivated. Only 1 percent said they would never advise it because "selling during the holiday season is always a bad idea."

The vast majority of respondents, 79 percent, said more serious buyers were one of the biggest benefits of listing during the holidays, while 61 percent said less competition among homes was a plus. Only 17 percent said cold weather making homes look cozy was an advantage.

Indeed, 39 percent of respondents cited winter weather as one of the biggest challenges to putting a home on the market during the holidays. An equal share said buyer vacation and celebration schedules were problem.

But the biggest challenge, noted by 63 percent of respondents, was keeping a home "open house ready," meaning clean and staged, during this time of year.

Selling a home during the holidays requires employing different strategies from selling a home during other times of the year, according to the survey.

More than eight out of 10 respondents said online listing photos were particularly crucial for homes listed during the holiday season. The main reasons cited were that buyers attend fewer open houses because of busy schedules or winter weather, while sellers also host fewer open houses during this time.

The majority of respondents, 74 percent, said pricing a home to sell was even more important during the holiday season, and 40 percent said staging a home was more important at this time of year. Nearly a third said being flexible with contract terms such as move-in dates and when closing costs were paid was more essential during the holidays.

The way a home is staged during this time of year is also significant, according to the survey. Almost all respondents said they advised sellers to put up some seasonal decorations, though there were differing opinions on the types of decorations.

A 37 percent plurality said homeowners should put up some nonreligious holiday decorations to make a home feel inviting, while 28 percent said sellers should put up all of their holiday decorations, including religious ones, to make their home feel festive, the survey said.

A similar share, 27 percent, said sellers should put up seasonal decor that is not suggestive of specific holidays, while 8 percent of respondents advised sellers to stage their home without any decorations at all.

Eighty percent of respondents said they encourage sellers to light their fireplace when staging a home during the holiday season, while 62 percent said they suggested sellers update outdoor lighting because the buyer is more likely to see the home at night due to shorter days.

Other popular staging advice for sellers included using winter-scented home fragrances before an open house, making the home feel more cozy through reading nooks and blankets on couches and beds, setting the table to showcase holiday entertaining, and playing seasonal music that is not specific to a particular holiday, the survey said.

Hope this information you find useful and please feel free to share with others that may benefit from this advice.  I appreciate as always your time in reading my blog and I hope that you have a wonderful Holiday Season! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year :-)

The Art of Shoveling Snow!

Who loves snow? Who loves shoveling it? Probably much fewer enjoy the shoveling aspect of the winter guest to our drive-ways and side-walks J Today I’m going to share some thoughts on an article that caught my attention to help save as many backs, and hard-aching bodies as possible, ready?

With the recent snowstorms that have—and still are—pummeling the U.S., many residents will be doing more snow shoveling than ever before. That news leaves some people thinking about all the pain that will come once they’re finally back indoors. However, shoveling snow can actually be good exercise if done safely and correctly.

"Shoveling snow for about fifteen minutes at a time counts as moderate physical activity, similar to a brisk walk," said Terry Carolan, PT, NCS, ATP, clinical manager at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. "Adults are generally advised to do about 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise at least three to four days a week and shoveling can help provide that—especially during the winter months when both outdoor temperatures and personal motivation tend to drop."

However, snow shoveling, like most types of exercise, does present some physical risks.Kessler, a leader in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation, offers these guidelines:

• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

• Avoid caffeine or nicotine, as they can cause extra stress on the heart, especially among individuals with a history of or are at high risk for a heart attack.

• Dress in layers and be sure to wear a hat, gloves, and sturdy, non-skid footwear.

• Do some basic warm-up exercises before shoveling, such as walking for a few minutes or marching in place. Stretch the muscles in your arms and legs. Warm muscles will work more efficiently and are less likely to become injured.

• Try to shovel fresh snow rather than partially melted and packed snow and lift small amounts at a time using your legs, not your back. Scoop snow in a forward motion and step in the direction as you throw the snow and avoid twisting and tossing the snow over your shoulder or to the side. If possible, try pushing the snow forward rather than lifting.

• Make sure you have a good snow shovel. Many newer models offer ergonomic features to facilitate lifting and throwing.

• Pace yourself. Take frequent rest breaks and avoid over-exertion.

• Most importantly, if you experience any pain in the chest or arm, shortness of breath or profuse sweating, stop shoveling immediately and seek appropriate medical attention.

There you go folks, the shoveling snow how to guide to help you navigate through this sometimes brutal winter and make it out healthy and strong once Spring comes around!

If you feel anyone else you know may benefit from my blog, please forward this article or previous to those friends or family members. I usually stick to articles that are more closely related to my business of Real Estate but will at times throw an article appropriate for the times or season. Have a wonderful day and thanks for reading my blog!

P.S. - Don't forget, if you or anyone you know is in the market to buy or sell a home contact me today, you'll receive the best in service, dedication and my expertise to make it a success! Ben