5 Reasons to Buy a Home During the Holidays

Buying a home during the holiday season sounds like a terrible idea, right? You’ve got holiday feasts, family gatherings, gifts and vacation plans on your mind. But think again. Buying a home near the new year can prove to be a smart move if you know what to anticipate, have a plan to address seasonal challenges and understand the late fall and early winter real estate market landscape.

If you’re ready to get serious about finding a home you’ll love, here are five reasons why you should buy a home during the holidays.

1. Motivated sellers

Are buyers really house shopping during the holiday season? Yes, but some buyers may be so preoccupied with holiday festivities that they spend less time searching for a new home. That slower market pace can motivate sellers. If their house was recently put on the market, this could mean they don’t have time to waste and need to sell fast.

On the flip side, if a house has been on the market for some time, the sellers may be more willing to negotiate down in price.¹ This is good news for you — both scenarios could end up saving you some cash.

2. Less competition

Between holiday celebrations and family gatherings, many buyers put their house hunting on hold during the hustle of the holiday season. That means less competition² for you and less of a chance you’ll end up in a bidding war. As the number of buyers shrinks, the chances of your offer being accepted increase. Less competition and less stress make end-of-year homebuying a win-win.

3. Quick closings

Just like sellers, mortgage and title companies are motivated to close deals and reach their goals before the new year begins. This can translate into getting your own deal done quickly.

4. Easier to hire professionals

One might assume that finding professionals such as movers, inspectors and contractors would be challenging during the holidays. But, as is the case with real estate professionals, demand for their services tends to decrease during the holiday season, potentially making it easier for you to find help.

In other words, with fewer homebuyers in the market, you’ll have more choices and more availability³ to find the professionals you need.

5. School winter breaks

For most families, timing a move can be crucial to ease the transfer of children to a new school.⁴ The holidays provide an ideal opportunity to transition to a new home while schools are out for winter break. Your family will have time to settle in and get ready for the upcoming semester in the comfort of your new dream home.

Are you planning to sell or buy a Central Texas home soon?

Remember that RBFCU’s preferred real estate partner, Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty, is here to help you move beyond your expectations toward an extraordinary real estate experience.

To get started, contact us today by emailing realty@rbfcu.org or completing a simple online form now.

Information in this article is general in nature and for your consideration, not as financial advice. Please contact your own financial professionals regarding your specific needs before taking any action based upon this information.

Article last updated in November 2023.

Kuper Realty Holding Company, LLC dba Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty is a subsidiary of RBFCU Services LLC. RBFCU Services LLC is affiliated with Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU).

SOURCES

The following articles where last accessed in August 2023.

¹Taylor, Jennifer. “Why the Holidays Are a Good Time to Buy a House.” Yahoo, 11 Nov. 2021, https://www.yahoo.com/video/why-holidays-good-time-buy-140106533.html.

²Yale, Aly J. “4 Tips for Buying a Home During the Holidays.” Usnews.com, 11 Nov. 2022, https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/articles/tips-for-buying-a-home-during-the-holidays.

³Ericson, Cathie. “5 Surprisingly Smart Reasons to Buy a Home during the Holidays.” Real Estate News & Insights | Realtor.com^®, realtor.com, 16 Nov. 2017, https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/reasons-to-buy-a-home-during-the-holidays/.

⁴Warner, Andrew. “How to Help Your Child Transition to a New School.” Usnews.com, 18 Aug. 2022, https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/how-to-help-your-child-transition-to-a-new-school.