For most Americans, the week after Christmas is a relaxed time to catch their breath after the holiday bustle and before the New Year’s revelry. But for the house-hunting insiders, Christmas is like a red-and-green checkered flag waving over the track to homeownership. While most of the country is distracted by new gadgets or wallowing in food comas, these savvy house hunters are taking advantage of the lull to get a serious lead on the rest of the market. And in the competitive landscape of Southern California, that inch ahead can feel like a mile.
House Hunting While the Competition is Hibernating
The first advantage of house hunting the week after Christmas is also one of the most obvious: there’s not a ton of competition. Even active buyers are likely to freeze their efforts during the weeks surrounding Christmas to focus on travel or simply enjoying quality holiday time with the family. But this means fewer bidders submitting offers. Not only is an offer more likely to get the seller’s attention during this brief seasonal window, but it could also bypass a bidding war altogether if the seller is interested in a quick sale.
The Advantages of a Motivated Seller
If a seller listed their home before December, they’re likely not going to pull the listing just because the holidays are slower. And while there are a lot of reasons why sellers might list a home for sale in the off-season, plenty of those reasons are particularly advantageous to those who save their house hunting efforts for the week following Christmas. You’re more likely to find home sellers in a hurry to close deals and start new careers that require relocation at the beginning of the new year. Others may be listing homes for urgent personal reasons. Either way, the off-season motivation can lead to more flexibility on closing costs, price, and move-in timelines.
A Sneak Preview for an Exclusive Audience
To capitalize on the January surge and work out any kinks in a listing, several homeowners choose to list their homes in the last week of December. By house hunting the week after Christmas, you get a sneak preview before your competition shakes off the snow and joins the race. You might be surprised at how much you can learn in a single week when you’re motivated and the competition is asleep. Chances are good that, by the time New Year’s Day rolls around, you’ll know exactly which neighborhoods you prefer, the most ideal properties available, and the value of these properties in relation to your budget. This puts you in an enviable position to strike quickly and strategically when opportunity arises. Consider it house hunting on easy mode!
Leveraging End-of-the-Year Advantages to Move at Your Own Pace
If you’re fortunate enough to work for a company that rewards you with end-of-the-year bonuses, your purchasing power could get a welcome boost that syncs with the week after Christmas. Simultaneously, with so much of the competition effectively hibernating, you can move at your own pace with a variety of considerations, such as mortgage rates, pre-approval letters, and general decisions about your budget. These are factors that deserve careful thought. The problem is that, in the thick of January, the surge of interest in properties means you need to act fast. And that leaves a wider margin of error. Making moves during the last week of the year gives you the space to make clear decisions you won’t regret down the line.
House Hunting at Year’s End is Even More Advantageous in LA’s Market
Even if you’re new to house hunting, you likely recognize by now just how crucial timing and preparation are to success. And that goes double in LA’s market. Many buyers choose to enjoy the holidays, jumping into the market in the classic January surge. But those who get a head start during the week after Christmas enjoy reduced competition, motivated sellers, and early access to January’s freshest listings just hitting the market. It might be just enough of a reason to kick off that cozy comforter and go get that dream home before anyone else has the chance!
With a brand that says as much as JohnHart’s, Senior Copywriter Seth Styles never finds himself at a loss for words. Responsible for maintaining the voice of the company, he spends each day drafting marketing materials, blogs, bios, and agent resources that speak from the company’s collective mind and Hart… errr, heart.
Having spent over a decade in creative roles across a variety of industries, Seth brings with him vast experience in SEO practices, digital marketing, and all manner of professional writing with particular strength in blogging, content creation, and brand building. Gratitude, passion, and sincerity remain core tenets of his unwavering work ethic. The landscape of the industry changes daily, paralleling JohnHart’s efforts to {re}define real estate, but Seth works to maintain the company’s consistent message while offering both agents and clients a new echelon of service.
When not preserving the JohnHart essence in stirring copy, Seth puts his efforts into writing and illustrating an ongoing series entitled The Death of Romance. In addition, he adores spending quality time with his girlfriend and Romeo (his long-haired chihuahua mix), watching ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, and reading (with a particular penchant for Victorian horror novels and authors Yukio Mishima and Bret Easton Ellis). He also occasionally records music as the vocalist and songwriter for his glam rock band, Peppermint Pumpkin.
