Will Your Property Sell in the Winter?
By Jim Palmer Jr.

Most sellers remove their house or property from the market in the winter, mostly because they don’t want to move in the icy conditions, but sometimes it is just because they perceive that a subdued winter market would hold no promise of selling. While both of those reasons may be valid, it certainly doesn’t mean that the home or property won’t sell.

Since most people (including some Realtors®) think that way, the inventory of available listings usually shrinks dramatically in winter months in our local area. That condition may actually give you the edge, since the inventory is down and your listing may become much more visible.

While it is true that most of us dread moving when the snow is on the ground, we occasionally experience milder winters, like this past few years, when it would be more tolerable.

Land sales seem to increase at odd times of the year. For instance, each January, when people are able to calculate the amount of tax return they will be receiving, land sales seem to increase. One reason for that delayed reaction is also that most land buyers spend a lot of time thinking about it before they bite. There is usually a lesser sense of urgency for land buyers, compared to a home buyer who needs shelter immediately. Their desire for property is often more related to a dream they have to get to the country someday, rather than an actual immediate need. These types of buyers have usually found and viewed their property of choice many times before they actually submit an offer in writing. Of course there is always an exception to the rule! I once showed a property in chest-deep snow (on snow shoes) to a buyer who was so enamored by the beauty of the property that they immediately purchased the parcel, even though they had never seen it without snow.

Many Realtors® want inventory that will sell immediately. The reason is obvious. They want to see an immediate return on their marketing efforts and think that winter may not be the best time for that. Experienced and established brokers may be more willing to take the chance, since they know that homes and properties do sell in the winter time, and they have learned to create a financial buffer in case such inventory doesn’t sell immediately.