Winter Here in Ft Wayne
Weathermen describe this year’s this year’s El Niño as “Godzilla”, but can’t predict if the winter here in Ft Wayne will have lots of snow or have little snow like 1997-1998.
According to NewsChannel 15 Meteorologist Nicholas Ferreri, “The characteristics we’re seeing develop with the current El Niño are similar to those of the El Niño pattern from 1997-1998. During that year, we had one of the city’s lowest recorded snow totals on the record books – which, for snow totals, date back to the 1930s,” he said.
“We do have to be careful, though, when talking about a pattern like El Niño. It can strengthen or weaken between now and the upcoming winter season, affecting our winter forecast,” added Ferreri.
People love talking about the coming winter weather, however if you will be selling your house this winter, you have to ask, “Do people buy houses in the winter months? Yes they do!
Some people love to shop in December for a major purchase. That’s why you see TV car ads showing big red Christmas bows on expensive autos for romantic husbands hoping to surprise their wives with the best Christmas present ever. People who shop this time of year, who wade through the snow, who brave the elements are serious buyers. There’s no need to wait until after New Year’s or even spring if you want to sell quickly.
In fact, a recent newspaper article confirms that the winter is one of the best times to sell. A recent study examined home listing, sale price and time-on-market data from 2010 through this past October from around the country, updating a two-year analysis completed last year. The study concluded that if you want to sell for more than your asking price, listing in December, January, February and March gives you a better chance on average than if you list any time from June through November, and listing during those four months has produced higher percentages of above-asking-price sales than listing during any months other than April and May.
Zillow agrees “Much of the traditional dogma about selling in winter no longer holds true, and the new technologies and updated marketing techniques adopted by savvy real estate agents can reduce or erase a seller’s typical aversions to listing a home in winter. Serious buyers search for homes all year round; sellers should be out there, too.”
Here are five things you can do to make your home more appealing during the winter months and even get that house sold by Christmas.
- Be agile! You want to be ready at the drop of a hat to show your home to potential buyers. That means any holiday parties may be out so you don’t have to worry about post-party cleanup. Just say to friends and family, “We are trying to sell your house. Why not celebrate at your house?”
- Put up your decorations if you want, but stay on the conservative side. You don’t want so many lights that the house can be seen from space. Potential buyers will experience a warm feeling with some decorations. You want them to get excited about spending holidays in their house. A huge Christmas tree could be wrong, if it makes your house appear small.
- Get the price right, maybe just a little under the market. The last thing you want is the house to sit on the market which could lead to a price reduction.
- Make sure to hire a knowledgeable agent who knows the area your house is in. Buyers like to know what the schools are like and how close; how close is shopping, parks and access to the freeway, etc.
- If you are looking to sell your home quickly and are not sure you have the time to look for an agent and prepare your home to be ready to show buyers you may want to consider an all cash offer. A reputable cash home buyer will offer you all cash for your home as is. You can have your home sold before Christmas and close shortly after.
JT Integrity Properties is here to help homeowners out of any kind of distressed situation. As investors, we are in business to make a modest profit on any deal, however we can help homeowners out of just about any situation, no matter what! There are no fees, upfront costs, commissions, or anything else. Just the simple honest truth about your home and how we can help you sell it fast to resolve any situation.
Give us a call today at 260-202-2222 to let us know what YOU need help with!