In the winter the housing market naturally slows down. Because of this, many home sellers follow suit and will either pull their listing off the market to be listed again in the spring, or hold off on putting their home on the market at all. However, even with the winter months being notoriously slow, it could be an advantageous time to put your home up for sale.

1. Less Competition
In the winter months, the number of houses listed on the market drastically drop. This is because of a number of different reasons including the weather, the holiday season and other factors that typically put winter into a slow season. However, this could be viewed as an advantage to some home sellers. Placing your home for sale in the winter drastically reduces competition and appeals to homebuyers that are ready to buy now.

2. Motivated & Flexible Buyers
During the winter season you’ll typically be able to find motivated and flexible homebuyers. If a homebuyer is moving because of a job change for example, they need to purchase a home now in order to begin their new position. Home buyers may be more flexible during this time as well because of the time off they have during the holiday season. This will allow them to spend more time working with a realtor to view available houses and make a strategic offer. Motivated and flexible buyers mixed with low competition will mean higher return on your property.

3. Home Offers Consistent With Asking Price
Because the market is less competitive in the winter months, there’s a chance that a motivated buyer will be more competitive with their offer. If they have less options on the table to choose from, and have really fallen in love with your for sale home, they are more likely to give a home offer closer if not at or above the asking price. Use the low competition of homes in the price range of your home to your advantage to get a strong offer.

4. Higher Return For Heating Tune-Ups And Replacements
If you’ve spent time and money updating or replacing your furnace or other heating system, this big ticket update will be more top of mind for buyers. During cold winter months home buyers are more conscious about what type of heat the home has and how up to date the heating system is. Because of this, selling your home with a recently updated heating system will give you a greater return on your investment in the winter months.

5. Appeal To Buyers With Cozy Home Staging
Home staging is simple in the winter months. This time of the year homebuyers are looking for a warm and cozy feeling in the homes they walk through. Adding fabrics, candles and lighting the fireplace are quick and easy ways to set the stage for an effective home walk through.