Ask a Realtor: To List or Not to List During the Holidays

Dear Mike,

My wife and I are considering putting our Vail home on the market and we’re getting mixed advice from friends on doing it now or holding off until after the New Year and holidays. Do holiday visitors actually spend time looking or are we better holding off until after the New Year? 

Dear Contemplative Holiday Seller,

Your questions are very relevant for this time of year and ones we get asked frequently. 

Locally, activity in the Vail Valley has been strong the last few months and demand is expected to continue through the end of the year and into the New Year. Currently, inventories are very limited in the majority of key price points making this an excellent time to show off your home and take advantage of supply (low) and demand (high). 

Additional reasons for optimism is the snow has started to fall and ski vacationers will begin heading to the valley from Thanksgiving through the New Year. Visitors, and corporate executives in particular who are primary holiday shoppers, typically have some extra time due to few daily distractions when on vacation. It’s always easier to sell to someone who is enamored with an area while visiting. They may decide they want to own a home that enables them to take advantage of all the valley offers year round.

Other key benefits to listing your home over the holidays include:

• Holiday buyers are serious, committed and focused.
• Family-oriented homes, representing the lifestyle market buyer, are seasonally radiant during the decorative holiday period, offering more appeal to potential buyers.
• Consumer confidence is currently strong.
• Interest rates are very low.
• Some home buyers purchase homes as gifts (Yes, this is the Vail Valley!)

In addition to the above opportunities and benefits of listing your home over the holidays, it’s also important to keep in mind that even in a high demand market other key factors come into play. These include:

• Pricing your home competitively
• Having it staged appropriately including minimizing clutter and personal items
• Making sure you have high curb appeal

Combined, you should be in good position to have interested buyers come your way.

Mike Budd is a 19-year Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colorado Properties veteran, specializing in residential and commercial real estate.He was named Vail Board realtor of the Year in 2016.  A Vail Valley resident for 21 years, Budd has seen the Vail Valley evolve into one of the most desirable resort/lifestyle communities in the world. Contact Budd with your real estate questions at [email protected] or 970-376-4511.