With the festive season upon us it is understandable why many vendors consider taking their property off the market at this time of year, especially with so many seasonal obligations on their shoulders.
With so much going on the last thing that many people think they need is the added pressure of keeping their home in a “show flat” condition and the seasonal decrease in viewings would at first glance reinforce that point of view.
It is true that viewings do tend to drop off at this time of year and increase once again in January, but there are some positive aspects that make a forceful argument for marketing your property during the holiday season.
The first of which is that your property will not sell if it is off the market. Although buyer activity does tend to slow down at this time of year, you can be sure that prospective purchasers that view your property during the holiday season are that much more serious, and many buyers actually prefer to look at this time of year as they tend to take time off work during this period and are able to house-hunt as a couple.
Gibraltar also has a large percentage of families that relocate here due to their work commitments and many of those do not have a choice as to when they are able to leave for these shores. These families are highly motivated in seeking to have their families either settled in before the new school term in January or after Easter, and if you exchange contracts by New Year’s Eve the timing could be ideal for you and them.
The festive season is also a time when we become very house proud in anticipation of our family and friends coming round to our property and your home probably looks more inviting than ever at this time of year – what better time is there to show it to potential buyers?
On behalf of all the team at Bray Properties I would like to wish you a very enjoyable festive season and a prosperous 2012!
Justin Bray
