The majority of people believe that the holiday season is a quiet time for the housing market in the UK, and all around the world. Most buyers and sellers actually feel that springtime is the busiest time for the real estate market, whereas wintertime is a quiet period. However, most estate agents agree that wintertime, especially during the holiday season around Christmas and New Year is the most hectic time for the property market! Be it the rental market or the housing market, Christmas certainly plays a role in influencing the market; this is what the experts have to say.
People are looking to move into holiday homes during the holiday
During Christmas time and New Year, quite a few people start looking at holiday homes to move into. For one, this is the time that most professionals actually get a few days off work. Since the holidays are meant to be spent with the family, many people choose to move into spacious mansions and bigger homes during the holidays – just to be around the whole family, enjoy a break from their day to day lives and have a mini-vacation. If you’ve been thinking about putting your home on rent, even if it’s just for a few months, now might be a good time to start asking the most important question, “What is the rental value of my home?”
Only serious buyers and sellers enter the property market around Christmas
Many first time buyers who are willing to climb the property ladder like to buy property around Christmas time, so that they can spend the holidays in their new home! Most experts claim that buyers and sellers who are in the market around Christmas are more likely to close a deal. Essentially, it is only serious buyers and sellers who are looking to buy or sell property around Christmas time. Over the last few years, property websites have shown a consistent rise in the number of people who look at properties online during Christmas and New Year. As a result, many viewing requests and enquiries start coming around the first week of the new year.
Potential buyers are looking to make the most of the price drop
Usually, the property market in the UK slows down around Christmas time. Most potential buyers, investors and first-time buyers try to make the most of this price drop by investing in property during the holidays. However, experts at Rightmove suggest that there will be a price boom after Christmas, as has been the case for the past few years. According to their data, there has been a 54 per cent increase in the number of people looking at property on Boxing Day since last year. Currently, the average price drop in the UK housing market is expected to last until the end of the year, which is why it is a good idea for potential buyers and investors to close a deal, as soon as possible.
Sellers tend to lower their asking price during the holidays
Sellers who are in the market during the holidays usually have a crucial reason to sell. Homeowners could be relocating, they could be downsizing, they could be upgrading or they could be moving because of a job change. Whatever the reason, it is usually pressing enough for a seller to enter the market during the holidays. Hence, in order to make a sale and close the deal, sellers tend to reduce their asking price during the holidays. According to data from Rightmove, sellers drop their asking price by 0.6 per cent during Christmas time, giving prospective buyers and first-time buyers the chance to snag a good deal. According to the trend, once Christmas is over, the number of prospective buyers increases hence leading to an increase in demand, which tends to cause a rise in the asking price.
Historically, Boxing Day has always been the start of a good period for both sellers and buyers. With a sudden increase in the number of prospective buyers as well as a number of new sellers entering the property market, Christmas time has always been a good period for buying and selling. Sellers interested in closing a deal should make the most of the winter housing market, which is essentially a window of opportunity. Similarly, potential buyers who are serious about buying a property should enter the housing market around Christmas as it is not too chaotic and hectic. Also, with serious sellers keen to make a sale, potential buyers might end up with a great bargain on their new investment!
