Is December a Good Time to Buy a House?

The Halloween to New Year’s quarter of the year is, without doubt, one of the busiest times of the year. The kids are finally back to school. There are sporting events and a wealth of other extracurricular activities to manage. The house and yard need a lot of TLC to prepare for the holidays and the long, cold winter. Then there’s all the travel, cooking, baking, hosting and gift shopping. No one seems to have extra time for anything.



So, what does that seasonal chaos mean for the real estate market? Well, in general, home sales do tend to decrease. Not because there’s a shortage of people hoping to buy homes but because of that aforementioned lack of time. If people are busy decorating, cutting out gingerbread men with the kids and readying spare rooms for Aunt Gladys and Cousin Joe Bob, (on top of their usual career related and or domestic responsibilities mind you) they’re probably not able to give the homebuying or selling process a lot of thought.

Home sellers tend to have a lot to do to prepare their homes for sale. This includes: inspections, updates, necessary repairs, packing, utility transfers and more. Home buyers also have a lot to do. Preapprovals, budgeting, making updates or repairs to their current residence if they too plan to sell… there are a lot of moving parts in the real estate process. While having a trusted sales professional from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty (that's me!) in your corner certainly makes it all a little easier, there’s still a lot to do. No way around it. So, is it any wonder that a large swathe of people will put their real estate dreams on hold until the New Year?



The New Year. There’s another variable to consider. People love the idea of the New Year. The brand-new day. The clean slate. A fresh start. December just feels a little bit too… well, last year. People are more likely to delay their goals or put the brakes on major changes in almost every avenue of their life as the year winds down. The psychology? There’s always tomorrow. “January 1st, I’m going to do A, B, C and D! Why stress myself out trying to pack all this stuff into the crazy holiday season when January is a couple weeks away?” In other words, real estate goals, like health and wellness goals, career goals, or anything else become the first priority of NEXT year. A New Year’s resolution, if you will.



Of course, real estate never sleeps. No matter what time of year it is, someone needs to sell for one reason or another and almost certainly, someone needs to buy. Life changes like work-related relocation, marriages, divorces, health concerns and natural disasters can happen any time of year. If you’re a buyer, you might think, “Wait, if everyone else is busy and waiting until January to make an offer, now might be the best time to do it. Got to get ahead of the competition!” You might be right. Time and again, studies have shown that buyers who are willing to bid around a busy holiday are serious about it and they have a lot fewer competing buyers to contend with. If you’re a seller who has put your goals on hold pending the sale of your property, a committed holiday buyer might be your golden ticket. If you’re the buyer, you might be lucky enough to find a seller touched by the holiday spirit, who’s willing to negotiate to your benefit.



So, while December is not a real estate dead zone by any means, it’s generally seen as a slowdown in the market. A slow down, not a stop. December isn’t a dead zone — it’s just a slow season, not a stop. Everyone’s timeline and needs look a little different, and there’s never a wrong time to explore your options.

If you’re curious about your next move, reach out! Zero pressure, zero obligation. We can meet for coffee (on me!) or a quick ZOOM call to talk about your real estate goals. It's never too early!