Strike While The Weather Is Cold: Why You Should Buy Your Home During The Winter
If you're in the market for a home, don't wait until spring. That's actually when most people start thinking about buying, and selling. However, just because that's when most people are getting ready to buy and sell, doesn't means it's the best time. If you want to get the best deal, winter is the best time to start house-shopping. Here are just three of the reasons why you should adjust your schedule, and start looking for your new home when winter arrives.
You'll Find More Motivated Sellers
You might not realize this, but most people put their homes on the market during the spring and summer. They think that the warm weather will bring out the best deals. However, that means that the market is going to be saturated during those warm-weather months. To find the most motivated sellers, you need to wait until the market slows down, and the weather turns cold. That's when everyone who couldn't sell their homes during the spring and summer, will start reducing their asking prices, and become desperate to sell. That's when you swoop in and make an offer they can't refuse.
Fewer Buyers to Compete With
When it comes to buying a home, you don't want to deal with an over-abundance of over-zealous buyers. You don't want a lot of competition when you're trying to win the bid on the perfect home. Buying during the winter is the perfect way to avoid all the competition. Fewer buyers on the field means more opportunities for your offer to be chosen.
Easier to Identify Winter Issues
There's nothing worse than buying a home during the summer, only to discover that it had a multitude of winter-weather problems. When you buy your home during the winter, you'll be able to identify those problems right away. Choosing frigid days to go house hunting will allow you to see how the heaters work, or see how drafty the windows are. You'll also be able to identify problems with the insulation, by seeing how long it takes for the house to cool down after the heater turns off. If it cools down quickly, you know the house has an insulation issue. You can also use rainy days to your advantage. Schedule your home inspections when it's raining outside. You'll be able to identify leaks right away.
If you're ready to buy your first home, don't wait until the weather warms up. Strike while the weather is cold. You'll reap many benefits if you buck tradition, and start your house-hunting during the winter.