Buying a house is one of the most critical decisions you can make in your life, and you want to make sure you are making the best choices. Buying a home in the wintertime is excellent for so many reasons. If you want to see a few great reasons why buying a home in the winter is better, then keep reading!
It will likely be less expensive
Winter is the least expensive season to purchase your home based on so many different reasons. Many people want to love it before the holiday season hits, so they will list their homes in the October/November area to try and get them sold before the holiday hits. This often means they are willing to sell it for a bit less to make sure they unload it quickly instead of dragging out the sale.
If you want to save some money on your sale, then any Boise real estate agent will recommend you wait until just after the holidays. “The market is usually similar to the weather with plenty of hot sales in the summer and ‘cooler’ market in the winter,” says Durham real estate expert Richard Frankel. Homes that sell in January typically sell for 0.51% less, which could save you a few thousand on your closing costs.
You can inspect the home in harsh conditions
Doing a walk-through of a home in the bright summer sun will show it off in the best light possible, but walking through it while the winter wind is blowing might say something different. Winter weather is full of things that can affect the home, and it’s one of the best times to be able to see the changes.
Leaking windows, giant icicles, and an icy walkway aren’t things you will see in the summertime, and this is an excellent time to check for significant damage like roof leaks from melting snow. You can also see whether or not the city regularly cleans off your street and sidewalk or if you need to invest in a snowblower for the driveway.
It’s a great time to hire movers
Summertime and springtime are full of people buying new homes and the fall months are usually full of students moving into dorm rooms, so professional movers are generally slammed during these months. Wintertime will likely be the easiest month to find movers that have a clear schedule.
They might also be able to move you at a lower rate if they are low on work after the holiday season. You are also likely to find a moving truck to rent if you need it, as January and December are the lowest times of the year for people to move across the country due to the poor weather.
You can get into it sooner
Many real estate agents get swamped with sales in the summer and spring months, which means they might not get to your paperwork immediately. If they only have a few deals going on, then your paperwork will likely go through a bit faster, which means you will be getting into your home sooner.
This also applies to other people like inspectors that need to be booked in order to inspect the home before a sale. The winter months are slower for everyone, and they will be able to get to your home for inspections much quicker. Property lawyers also have slower winter seasons, so they will be able to be much more available to get your paperwork processed.
Sellers are more willing to offer incentives
Many people selling their homes in the winter months are looking for a change which means they might be more willing to throw in the window treatments, some of their furniture, or appliances. If they planned on moving to a new home after the holiday season, then they might have even received new items as gifts.
We already mentioned how January sellers are more likely to sell at a lower price, but if they are stuck on it, you can always ask if they want to throw in anything else to sweeten the deal. The sellers might not want to move their patio furniture, hot tub, or kids’ play equipment in the middle of winter, so they might be willing to add it to the sale.
Wintertime is a great time to buy a new home for plenty of reasons, including lower prices and quicker moving times. If you are willing to wait until the colder months to buy your home, you can get a great deal on it or save yourself some money elsewhere. When the temperatures start to drop, have a look at some of the great homes in your area to find your dream home at a great price.