As the festive season fast approaches, potential home movers will be increasingly hearing the same message from Estate Agents: “Boxing Day is one of the best days of the year to list your property.”
Whilst there is some truth in this statement, with portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla often reporting peak levels of traffic on Boxing Day compared to the rest of December, it is important to note that these levels are still often well below typically busier times of year such as Spring and Summer.
Most importantly, is this a good time to list your home? Whilst this time of year can be busy for buyers looking online, rarely does this translate to high levels of viewing enquiries. During the Christmas period, buyers are usually busy spending time with family and friends and generally celebrating the festive period; not booking viewings. Similarly vendors are often busy enjoying the festivities and would rather not entertain viewings from prospective buyers. Come the New Year, these same people are often caught up in the flurry of returning to work and getting the kids back to school. It’s only really once normality returns that buyers start ramping up their property search and viewing houses.
Meanwhile, your home has now been on the market for over 2 weeks without any viewings; with even more properties coming to the market after yours, saturating the supply of homes whilst looking newer and fresher than yours. The first two weeks of marketing are often considered the most crucial in securing maximum interest and the best price for your home, which is why in most cases listing your home on Boxing Day is bad advice and is usually a ploy from Estate Agents to increase their listing numbers at a time of year that is typically quiet.
Our Advice? If you want to maximize the interest on your home, hold off listing until at least the first or second week in January when buyer activity levels are truly at their busiest. This will result in higher viewing numbers and in most cases, the best possible price achieved for your property!
If you would like us to help you list your property over the festive period, then please contact us on 01303 212020 | sales@motis-estates.com | motis-estates.com
Source Tom Robinson