Issue link: https://nest.uberflip.com/i/899440
1. Eager Sellers Like many businesses, the holiday season can cause things to slow way down. That's often the case for real estate. However, that doesn't mean you won't find eager sellers hoping you'll make an offer on their homes. Even though there are parties, kids' social activities and end-of-the-year work commitments, real estate sellers are still ready to let you step inside their homes to see if you'll find one is a good fit. 2. Lower Prices (possibly) Often home prices are lower in December than in other months. If you wait until the spring, you're likely to wish you'd, at least, done some house-hunting. Industry reporting services often show home appreciation slows in the fourth quarter, making homes more affordable. 3. Less Competition Having less competition on the buyer's side can mean lower prices on homes, in addition to fewer counter-offers to compete against. Without as many buyers eyeing a potential new home, shoppers have a greater likelihood of keeping savings on their side by avoiding the price creep consistent with multiple buyers interested in the same property. 4. Good Time to Get a Mortgage When real estate slows down, that means mortgages slow down too. So this is a good time to get a mortgage. There's a chance your loan will move through the process faster. That doesn't mean you will have lax guidelines, rather it means that if there are fewer loans to process, yours can move along faster. The bottom line: Since it is a busy time of year, you may find that there aren't many buyers shopping for homes, which is exactly why this may be a good time to house-hunt. Fewer buyers could mean a great opportunity for you to make an offer and negotiate a favorable price. However, fewer homes to choose from could mean you have more difficulty finding precisely what you're looking for. But too many homes can also create a no-win situation by confusing and overwhelming you.It's all dependant on the tint of glasses you choose to put on - rose colored or black out. Saving thousands of dollars on a home purchase may sound appealing, but executing the correct steps to secure these savings and a new property is still just as important.