Holiday home sales offer special challenges

Ho, ho, ho, the holiday season has arrived. This is the time of year when everything is supposed to be holly, jolly, merry and bright, yet the routine of everyday life goes on. Which means people will still make plans to buy and sell their homes. People will still look for new jobs in the same locale or elsewhere, and people will still want larger homes, different style homes or newer homes.

Historically, home sales are lower during the holiday and winter months. According to the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors, during June of 1999, the average number of days a home stayed on the market was 110. In July that figure was 103 and in August it was 107. Compare this to October's average at 113 days on the market, November at 124 and December at 116. In other words, it may take up to a month longer to sell your home in the winter than in the summer.

So, for the seller who must have a home on the market right now, what is the best strategy for selling during the holiday season?

Many times when people are selling a home at this time of year, a major dilemma is decorating: "What if my house sells and I have all the decorations out? It's that much more to pack up," or "What if my house doesn't sell during the holidays and I don't put anything out and don't enjoy the season?"

Don't despair. Go ahead and pull out the Christmas decorations. Make the home as festive as possible. Give it a warm, cozy feeling. You will enjoy it and potential buyers will appreciate the feeling they get when they walk into the home.

A buyer may tour the home during the daylight hours and then drive by in the evening.

Having the home lit up and looking merry and bright will reaffirm the feeling the buyer had earlier.

A potential buyer may look at a home now because this is when they have the time and can think about preparations for the move. Showings now will hopefully result in a contract and a move within the first few months of the New Year.

There is lead time between when a buyer looks at a home and places a contract to when the actual move takes place.

People looking at homes now, may be planning the actual move for the first of the year or even during a spring break. In other areas of the country, spring breaks are scheduled as early as mid-March, and some families choose to physically relocate at that time.

This trend is growing in popularity because it allows children to become acclimated to their new surroundings and prepare for the next year.

Also, tryouts for sports, cheerleading and other extracurricular activities are usually scheduled in the spring for the following fall season.

To make each viewing by a buyer count the most, make the home as appealing as possible and have something positive by which it will be remembered. This is the best strategy to sell a home during the holiday season.

Rest assured, there is still a market for your home.

Interest rates have recently lowered to below the 8 percent mark, and new businesses are relocating and expanding in the area, promoting local employees and bringing in buyers from out of town.

The year-end figures for Springfield home sales are going to be exciting. The figures are showing that the number of homes sold this year will surpass 1999's mark of 5,108.

Despite the fact that interest rates and the stock market have been volatile, building has been steady and the number of homes on the market, continues to rise there are now 3,226 homes listed for sale.

(Peggy Davis is a real estate agent with Murney Associates.)