The holiday season can be a tricky time to find a buyer for your listings. Many buyers take a break from the house hunt during the holiday season, resulting in fewer contracts and closings in the winter months. But there are also a few benefits to buying and selling during the holidays. And there are things you can do to boost your home sales during the holidays.
Here is what you need to know about selling homes this holiday season.
Clients Who Are Active in December are Serious
The first thing to remember about selling homes during the winter is that only serious buyers and sellers are active this time of year. And this is great news for you as a real estate agent! It means you’ll be spending less time touring looky-loos through home after home, and more time working with qualified buyers who are ready to make an offer.
It also means your sellers are motivated. Those who list in the final months of the year instead of waiting until spring (when the market traditionally heats up) are willing to do what it takes to get the house sold. So they’ll be more receptive to your staging suggestions, marketing strategies, and negotiations with potential buyers.
Other Agents May Be Taking Vacation
Since business is a little slower during the holidays, many agents choose to take their vacations in December. If you’re willing to work through the month, you’ll have less competition from other agents for the available clients. Offer to host open houses for other agents or assist with their showings while they’re away. You'll gain valuable experience, meet new buyers at the open houses, and possibly earn a percentage of the other agents’ commission if your efforts help them make a sale.
Lean Into the Holiday Spirit
October through January is prime home decor season. And your sellers can play up the holidays to inspire prospective buyers.
Most buyers love the idea of hosting holiday gatherings in their new homes. So staging properties with appropriate holiday decor can help buyers imagine hosting in this home. In November, for example, you can have your sellers set the dining table as if for Thanksgiving Dinner. Then for December, encourage your sellers to go all out with inviting lighting, a decorated tree, and a festive fireplace mantel. Just encourage your sellers to avoid overdoing it and keep decorations tasteful.
Throw Your Christmas Party at One of Your Listings
Some sellers will let you use their home as a party venue if it gets more eyeballs on their listing. This is an interesting marketing strategy because your friends, family, colleagues, and clients can all view the home in its element and imagine themselves living in the space. Even if no one on the guest list is in the market for a new place, they might have someone in mind that they can refer to you. Pitching this idea to your sellers can also demonstrate out-of-the-box thinking, which is a trait most sellers value.
Advertise the Tax Benefits of Buying
In the same way that real estate agents benefit from tax write-offs, homebuyers get to take advantage of deductions on their income taxes as well. Buying a home before the end of the calendar year means that your buyers can start claiming homeownership deductions just a few months from now when their tax return is due in April (instead of waiting over a year to start receiving benefits if they buy early in the calendar year).
Post about the tax benefits of home buying on your social media platforms and in your monthly newsletter.
How to Sell More Homes All Year Long
Being a licensed real estate agent involves continuously improving your sales skills to convert more leads into clients and more clients into closings. With Aceable’s Professional Development Courses, you can build your sales skills and create the systems you need to sell more homes year-round. Enroll in your next course today!