(We make the case for selling in the “home” stretch of 2024)

So this month I thought I’d return to an oldy but a goldy, namely the prosecution’s case for the benefits of listing your home to sell this side of Christmas. Now I know that Halloween has only just been, Guy Fawkes is still to come and in the Maloco household the “C” word is banned until the middle of November but in the property market exceptions have to be made, at least by the savvy seller.

Just as an aside and before diving into the whys and wherefores of marketing in November and December, is it just me or back in the day come late October was there not already a real chill in the air? Was frost not a regular guest on early mornings, reminding us that winter was just around the corner? Of course, the warmer, wetter weather isn’t just a convenient excuse to dodge turning on the heating.

It will, in years to come, impact property markets as traditional heating systems like gas boilers are phased out, meaning that homes ideal for today may require upgrades to stay relevant tomorrow. But we’ll save those insights for a future newsletter and focus for now on what the last couple of months of the year mean for today’s property market.

British Summer Time May Have Ended, But Your Opportunity to Sell Hasn’t

Last Sunday, the clocks went back an hour, and we have all begrudgingly had to accept the fact that winter is just around the corner. Now you may think, not unreasonably, that this means the property market will start to cool down too. If you haven’t listed yet, isn’t it best to just hold off until the new year or even the spring? Isn’t it time to cozy up, enjoy Strictly and wait for brighter days?

Actually, no. Quite the opposite, in fact! For those toying with the idea of selling but leaning toward waiting until 2025, we’d encourage you to take the leap now. While it may seem counterintuitive, the cooler months offer some hidden advantages that make this one of the best times to bring your property to market. Here’s why.

Motivated Buyers and Less Competition

Selling your home hinges on getting interested viewers through your door. It typically takes about 10 viewings to get a sale. At peak times, even with correct pricing, good presentation and a proactive agent (us!), you’re competing with lots of other sellers for those precious would-be buyers. But once November rolls around, the market dynamic shifts significantly and provides opportunities for sellers.

As we start the descent to the holiday season there’s a belief that with Christmas approaching, everyone is too preoccupied to think about a move. True, casual browsers (those some might label “tyre kickers”) do become distracted by Christmas shopping and buying their new outfit for the office Christmas party. It’s a fact too that viewings do start to tail off a little. As a result, many less well-informed sellers assume that they should wait for the new year before listing, believing that, like ice on a salted driveway, their potential buyers will be melting away.

But here’s the good news: While there are slightly fewer viewers around, those who remain are serious, motivated and can be trigger happy. Some buyers may have already sold their own homes and are under time pressure to find their next one, perhaps due to a new job or relocation in the new year.

Others may have been outbid or missed out on properties throughout the year and are feeling under pressure to seal a deal before the year ends. These committed buyers are still actively seeking a home just as new stock coming to the market starts to dwindle, making November and December prime time to attract offers from people ready to commit. List now and your home becomes front and centre of property searches. Even if a buyer is not secured this side of the new year, you will be ideally placed to benefit from the traditional upsurge in the market come the start of January when others still haven’t come to market.

Seize the Season and Save!

The best part? There’s still time to grab the reindeer by the antlers (sorry!) and get your home on the market before Christmas!

As an incentive to help you take that leap, we’re offering a £100 discount off our marketing fees if you list
with us before Christmas.

Or, if you’d rather hold off until the new year, as long as we’ve had the chance to visit your property and you sign up with us before the festive break, we’ll still offer a £50 discount provided you “go live” by January 2025.

So, why wait?

Call us today at 01383 629720 to arrange your FREE pre-sale valuation and hopefully get your property ready to shine this season.