Have you been thinking about purchasing a new home but are afraid to start looking now because the winter season is right around the corner? This article will bring a new perspective to home buyers that are uncertain about buying a home in the winter. It is true that the spring and summer seasons are typically the most active seasons for both sellers and buyers. Winter house hunting does have benefits over other seasons. Work these to your advantage and you will be moving into your dream home without having to wait until spring comes around again.
When it comes to buying a home in the winter the one main benefit is the lack of competition in the bidding process. The myth that buying a home in the winter is undesirable leads many sellers and buyers hesitant. This means that although there are fewer houses on the market the houses that are on the market will have less competition when submitting your offer. It can be a bit inconvenient and messy to move in the winter but when you think about an offer without the competition of other buyers it diminishes the worry about a bit of untidiness during the moving process.
When buyers are scarce, it is the perfect time to start looking for a home. Homes during the winter move more slowly; it is truly a buyers season. Sellers most often have a reason for selling in the winter that makes the need to move their home off the market more crucial. This means that a buyer is able to negotiate a better deal. It leaves room for the buyer to ask for money off the asking price, the appliances to stay in the home or any extras the buyer is interested in. For instance, a client recently purchased a luxury recreational property. In the offer they asked for the seller to include the family’s golf cart as part of the deal. These items are easier to negotiate for when the buyers offer is the only one on the table. This is often the case when buying in the winter.
Another advantage of buying in the winter is that you are seeing the property at its worst. In the winter sellers don’t have any real curb. Trees are barren, grass is brown and the flowers have all been cut back. It also gives you a better chance to inspect for drafts, pipe freezing issues, attic air leaks and other issues that are commonly seen in the cold weather that are hidden from even the most experienced inspectors during the summer season. You can feel the warmth of the home or lack thereof and really get a feeling for the homes insulation as well.
Mortgage brokers, mortgage lenders and real estate agents are also less occupied during the winter as well which allows you to have more of their attention when buying in the winter. Mortgages tend to be processed faster with fewer issues because they aren’t focusing on thousands of new mortgages. Paperwork flows through the proper changes without as many hiccups because people have more time to properly process documentation without the rush that occurs with the spring and summer seasons.
As you can see buyers should not fear starting to look for a new home or their first home in the winter. Winter is an advantageous time to purchase a home for buyers. It should actually be considered a prime time for buyers to find the perfect place to live.
Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.
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