Centers And Squares
Welcome to Centers and Squares
As a Cambridge real estate agent, the city squares of Cambridge, Somerville and Medford and the town centers of Arlington, Watertown and Belmont, Massachusetts are my home turf. And as a lifelong New Englander who’s lived within twenty miles of Boston most of my life, I can introduce you to other nearby towns as we search for your new home. If you’re planning to sell your home in Cambridge, MA or nearby you’ll find plenty of info about the home selling process here too. Questions? Send me an email or call me at 617-504-1737.
Should I Take My House Off the Market for the Holidays?
The weeks from Thanksgiving to the end of the year are quieter than other times of the year.
Many sellers wonder – Should we take our house off the market for the holidays?
The answer is – it depends.
There’s a lot to be said for remaining on the market during the holidays:
Buyers who are looking for property right now tend to be serious, motivated buyers. Searching for real estate isn’t as much fun in the cold, short days of December – if you’re out there looking it’s usually because you want to buy.
Fewer properties come on the market in the weeks between Thanksgiving and early January. Other sellers take their homes off the market. Less competition means that your odds for finding a buyer are better.
People move at all times of the year. If someone is getting transferred to a Cambridge company they’ll need to buy now – and if your home isn’t on the market it won’t be in the mix when they visit Cambridge on a real estate buying trip.
Last but not least – you’ve gone to all the trouble to keep your place show-ready for buyers – now you’re all set for holiday company!
On the other hand:
If your house or condo has been listed for sale for many months you might consider taking your home off the market for the holiday or even for a few months.
If your plans allow, taking your home off the market for several months can reset the days-on-market clock. That way you’ll be able to come back on the market for the spring real estate buyers with a New listing – Zero days on market status.
Make sure your agent has canceled the listing in the MLS (the Multiple Listing Service) or your days-on-market ticker will resume when your home is relisted.
If home has been for sale for some time a break may be just what you need to stay sane – a few weeks, especially the busy holiday weeks – without having to worry about showings may be a welcome respite.
You and your agent can strategize about your best options during the holidays and decide together whether you should take your home off the market for the holidays.
November and December can be a great time to sell your home. There are plenty of buyers still hoping to find the perfect place. Maybe it will be yours!
Leave a Reply
Copyright © 2008 - 2010 Centers And Squares Agent Login Design by Real Estate Tomato Powered by Tomato Real Estate Blogs
Hi Liz ~ You’re right. There’s no right answer to this question. You make some great points on the plus side. Buyers braving the cold must be motivated and there is less competition out there. After the 1st of the year we will see a significant increase in new listings coming on the market.
Of course, constantly having the house ready to show is a real pain over the holidays. And what if it doesn’t sell? That doesn’t put sellers in the best position come January.
Tough call and definitely something that needs to be decided on a case to case basis.