All that Glitters is Not Gold During the Holiday Season

For home buyers, there are definite advantages to shopping around during the winter months, including the ability to test out features first-hand that would be difficult to judge during the summer. Just one such feature is the fireplace. While you won't find a warm fire going while home shopping in mid-July, shopping for a home during the winter provides the distinct ability to discover whether the fireplace works rather than waiting. Shopping during the winter also provides the opportunity to find whether the heating system is up to par. In addition, you also gain the chance to pinpoint whether there are areas of the home that might be particularly damp or cold.

When shopping for a home during the winter months; however, it is important for buyers to be aware of a few selling tactics homeowners may use to try and make their homes seem more appealing. For instance, many homeowners will try to tempt buyers with the smell of hot apple cider or freshly baked cookies permeating the home. While these warm winter scents can certainly be appealing, it is crucial that you not be distracted from seeing the home as it really is.

While the home may smell like cinnamon and nutmeg, could it be that those aromas are actually covering up a musty smell? What about all of the holiday décor? Take a look beyond it to carefully look at the paint, flooring and fixtures? Does everything appear to be in good order or is the paint peeling, the flooring stained and the fixtures outdated?

Looking past the glitz and glitter of holiday decorating is imperative to making a sound decision when shopping for a new home. It is oftentimes easy for sellers to dress up a home to appear more appealing than it really is the rest of the year.

Buyers shopping during the winter months may also notice that agents and homeowners alike tend to be more aggressive while trying to secure a deal than during any other time of the year. This is often due a lack of any other prospects. In light of such pressure, buyers will need to stand firm to ensure they do not find themselves caught up in agreeing to a deal before giving it due consideration.

In the event you think you may have found a property that interests you, make certain you do not give into pressure to close the deal without having the property professionally inspected. There can oftentimes be a push to close a deal before the holidays or the end of the year; however, the rush to get into a new home should not replace caution. A professional property inspection can oftentimes reveal problems which might reveal that what at first seems to be a good deal is really a money pit.

By hiring a professional property inspector to go over the property you will be assured of discovering any problems prior to making a commitment so you can go into the deal with your eyes fully open. Furthermore, if problems are discovered with the property, this provides you with a powerful negotiating tool. If the problems uncovered by the property inspection are not serious enough for you to decide to kill the deal, you may be able to utilize the results of the property inspection in order to negotiate a lower price or more attractive terms.

At one time, the home buying process was often limited to the warmer months. Due to the evolution of mobile technology; however, the house hunting process has become a process that can be conducted year-around. This has certainly proved to be a boon to buyers throughout the country; most particularly for those looking for property in warmer areas such as California, Texas and Florida. Buyers now have more access to properly listings than at any other time in history. No matter what time of the day or night, if you're interested in finding real estate to purchase, you can access information on property listings 24/7.

Real estate agents around the country have certainly found this to be true. While home sales overall do tend to decrease during the holiday season, traffic to real estate websites remain strong throughout the year, even into the holidays.

Whether you are considering the purchase of your first home or a second home, mobile technology allows you to easily and quickly view property details no matter what time of the year it may be. By staying cautious and seeing past the glitter and glitz of the holiday season, buyers can be assured of finding a property that is just right for them.

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