Advantages to Buying a Home in the Winter
Posted by : Admin
At first glance, buying a home in the winter may seem unappealing. Cold temperatures, shorter days, and the potential for bad weather could make you want to postpone your search until spring.
Wintertime home purchasing has some positive points that other times of year don’t offer. Here are some surprising advantages of moving ahead with your homebuying plans in the winter.
Less Curb Appeal
You may think this is a typo, but it’s not. In the spring and summer, sellers may disguise flaws in their property with beautifully flowering plants and luscious greenery. Shopping for a home in the winter gives you a chance to see it without its “makeup.” This gives you the opportunity to catch the issues you might not notice at other times of the year. Gutter problems, peeling paint, and cracks in the sidewalks are all important things you need to see that may be more obvious in winter than any other time. Catching these things gives you a chance to ask the seller to repair them so you aren’t faced with shelling out the money to fix them as soon as you move in.
Lower Home Prices
If you live in an area that enjoys mild winters, the prices may not fluctuate much. Typically, though, there is a better chance of getting a bargain on a property in winter than at any other time of year. Buyers tend to come out better in negotiations during the winter months. Getting a better price can open doors to affording a larger house in a nicer neighborhood, or enjoying a lower monthly mortgage payment.
Motivated Sellers
Few people would choose to sell their home during the winter months. Cold weather and the holiday season make it more challenging to pack and move than during warmer times of the year. If a home is on the market during this time, the sellers probably have a good reason and want it to move fast. Otherwise, they would have waited a few months and put it on the market in the hot-selling season, spring. Buyers can benefit from motivated sellers during the negotiation process. Items sellers may not agree to at other times of the year are on the table during this time. They may even agree to help with closing costs.
Less Competition
More buyers like to shop for homes during the warmer months because it seems easier to move during that time, and kids are out of school in summer. If you’re shopping in winter, you won’t run up against nearly as many buyers. Instead of competing for a home with multiple offers, you may be the only one at the table. Less competition gives you a leg up on securing your first choice for a home. You can also ask for more concessions like repair work, and you can make a lower offer.
More Personalized Attention
Good real estate agents are always going to offer good service, but they may be even more helpful during winter. With fewer buyers, they have more time to devote to you and to focus on your specific needs. You can expect your calls to be returned more quickly and your questions answered more thoroughly during winter than at other times when the real estate agent is juggling several clients. They may also dig deeper to find you exactly the type of property you want because they are more motivated by the commission you’ll be paying.
Smoother on the Back End
Once you’ve found the home you want, there are still benefits to buying it in the winter. With fewer closings, you can expect to enjoy a faster process during winter than any other time of year. Appraisers, home inspectors, and title companies have more time to move your purchasing process forward. In addition, movers aren’t as busy during winter. Chances are good that you can negotiate a lower rate with movers and land a better moving date, like a weekend morning, than you could if they were running full throttle like they do at other times of year.
You may be tempted to push your homebuying plans off for a few months until warmer weather comes around. Don’t wait! If you’re ready to purchase, go ahead and start your journey now. Chances are good you can find what you’re looking for, close on it, and move in before spring flowers peek out of the ground. Then your spring and summer are free to relax and enjoy your new place.
