Buying and Selling Over Christmas

by | Dec 8, 2021

You’d think that people would have more than enough to do during the festive period, but you’d be forgiven for thinking exactly that when it comes to buying and selling property at this time of year.

In fact, the property market is still incredibly active.  Did you know that the busiest day for viewing property online is Boxing Day?  According to Rightmove, the number of people looking at property on their website on Boxing Day increased by 5.4% last year.

There are a number of reasons for this – people have more free time on Boxing Day.  Once Christmas Day is over, Boxing Day is a much more relaxed time and people tend to use that time to think about plans for the new year ahead.  And that means thinking about moving house. 

If people are looking at houses online on Boxing Day, the chances are that they’ll be motivated enough to buy in the near future.  Viewing online is made easier these days with mobile devices such as tablets and mobile phones, so people can check out what’s on the market from the comfort of their own lounges whilst devouring the left overs from Christmas Day.

It stands to reason that if a seller has listed their property early in December and a buyer is ready to view a property, they are both really motivated and commited to buy or sell.

Listing your Property in December

If you’re thinking about listing your property on the market in December, here are some points to consider:

  1.  Apparently, although the largest number of online views is Boxing Day, did you know that the largest number of actual viewings is January 2nd?  People that are motivated enough to view property on 2nd January are clearly committed to finding one. 

This could play to your advantage if you plan ahead and get your property listed correctly in the run up to Christmas and the New Year. 

Consider how long it takes to get your property fully marketed by your Estate Agent.  They’ll need to take good quality photographs, prepare floor plans, write up property details, obtain the EPC reports etc.  So, give yourself enough time to get it professionally listed.

  • Organise with your Estate Agent to take photographs of your property before you put your decorations up.  Christmas decorations may look super cute for about 10 days of the year, but soon become dated and irrelevant after Christmas Day.  You’ll want to make sure that the imagery of your property reflects how it normally is.
  • Get some viewings lined up but make sure that the viewings are during the daytime.  You’ll want to show off your property to its best advantage, so a viewing when its dark and cold won’t help you.  If one of the features of your property is the garden, then it stands to reason that your potential buyer should see it in all its glory.

Viewing a Property in December

As mentioned earlier in this article, people that actually take the time out to view properties in December are highly motivated and committed to moving home early in the New Year. 

Chances are that there won’t be as many potential buyers during December, so if you’ve got a committed seller, you can very often negotiate a good deal.  Equally, during the festive period, the number of properties going through the conveyancing process is smaller, so you may be able to command an early completion.

Conclusion

The property market is still very active during the Christmas period, so if you’re looking to buy or sell, it’s worth getting your house valued and listed as soon as possible, ready to take advantage of the rush of house viewings in early January.

We are Farr and Farr – Gloucestershire’s longest established independent Estate Agent with 5 branches in and around the Gloucestershire area.  Take a look at our website www.farrandfarr.co.uk for more information or to locate your nearest branch.

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