Selling your Williamsburg VA home during the holiday season

A Home for the Holiday's

As a real estate professional I am often asked this question as the holiday's approach and the Virginia housing/ real estate market begins to slow down.  The question at hand is, "with the holidays approaching should I take my house off the market until spring."  

A few years ago you would have gotten an resounding "YES" but in recent years Williamsburg has seen a change in the seasonality of the market.  The buying/selling cycle use to be March to August but that has since changed.  Serious home buyers are looking well into December.

Your probably pondering what has caused this shift.  There are several factors that are driving people to buy and sell a home during the holiday season:

• Homes signify new beginnings for buyers and sellers, many want to be snuggling up by the fireplace in their new home counting down the New Year. 
• Mortgage rates are still at a historic low.
• As the temperature drops only serious buyers are house hunting.
• Relocation business is up because as a rule of thumb most corporate relocation takes place at the start of the year.

And let's not forget the tax benefits for buyers and sellers who close before the end of the year.

So spruce up your fall/winter landscaping, modestly decorate for the holiday season and by all means keep your home on the market for the Holiday's.