Will you take the house off the market in Winter?

tawse57

Just wondering how many sellers on here are planning to take their house off the market over the Winter? If so, what month do you plan to do this?

Or are you just planning to keep it on the market until it sells?

Thanks.

Doozergirl

Why would people do that? Buyers don't stop buying altogether.

Some buyers will decide to start looking in November and be in their place by February. If you take your house off the market you'll miss some people, even if you don't have as many viewings.

If I had already had a house on the market I'd be doing my darndest to make it sell before thinking about winter. If it isn't selling now, what's wrong with it?

mark5

If I was looking to move again I would do so in the winter time, the last time I moved house in the summer I couldnt go on holiday. (I work in a factory with set shutdowns!)

googler

Why would you do that?

I/we saw the house we wanted in late November, made offer, put existing properties on market also late November, sold soon after and moved in early March.

There's always somebody looking.

olias

I don't think it is odd at all. In fact I am thinking of doing just that. My EA also suggested it (after was already thinking of it).

The reasons are easy. Yes, people do buy in winter, but not many, the market traditionally slows right down for all sorts of reasons - Christmas and New Year (expense and hassle with family visits, trips, having guests etc), the weather (how many people really want to trail round hoses for viewings when its peeing down or snowy and icy on the roads), post Christmas debts and lack of cash.

For all these reasons the chances of getting viewings or a sale are greatly diminished. If you therefore keep your property on the market and don't get many viewings or a sale (which is highly likely given the above), then when the majority of house hunters start looking again in Spring you will have the following problems. They will see that your property has been on the market for nearly a year and will either think, 'there must be something wrong with that as it's been on the market ages', or, 'it's obviously over priced as it hasn't sold', or, 'They must be desperate to sell by now and I can offer way under the asking price'.

Oh and by the way - to the OP, we are considering taking it off at end of Nov/beginning of Dec, although we haven't yet decided for definate.

Olias

tawse57

I suppose it is a tricky one now if you have had your house on the market since Spring.

I am looking to buy but a part of me is beginning to now think that, with winter, approaching, I will stop looking till the Spring. I think local EAs have done themselves and their sellers a disservice by talking down July/Aug and talking up Sept/Oct... as I want to view houses in the Summer and not on dark winter days.

halflost

olias wrote: »

Oh and by the way - to the OP, we are considering taking it off at end of Nov/beginning of Dec, although we haven't yet decided for definate.

Olias

Surely though, most people might look on rightmove for example for sold house prices, and find you pinging your property on and off the market? i.e. was previously listed and the price it was on at.

It doesnt really look any better I think, in fact even worse because you can look like someone who isnt so serious about selling in my opinion.

Eric1

olias wrote: »

The reasons are easy. Yes, people do buy in winter, but not many, the market traditionally slows right down for all sorts of reasons - Christmas and New Year (expense and hassle with family visits, trips, having guests etc), the weather (how many people really want to trail round hoses for viewings when its peeing down or snowy and icy on the roads), post Christmas debts and lack of cash.

The weather, yes, I remember the argument, but getting confused, wasn't it just three months ago? or was it because of the world cup and the weather?
Christmas debts and lack of cash probably was a problem when buyers did not need a deposit. In the current climate, buyers held back by Christmas debts have little chance of getting a mortgage anyway.

neverdespairgirl

My parents bought their last London house in a January, having first viewed it in November.

tiggerjj

Viewed houses in January, was in my April. Happened to be when I had the money and everything else together to go ahead. And if i remember rightly the estate agents were still full with bookings on the saturdays so other ppl must also have been looking then as well

Doozergirl

olias wrote: »

I don't think it is odd at all. In fact I am thinking of doing just that. My EA also suggested it (after was already thinking of it).

The reasons are easy. Yes, people do buy in winter, but not many, the market traditionally slows right down for all sorts of reasons - Christmas and New Year (expense and hassle with family visits, trips, having guests etc), the weather (how many people really want to trail round hoses for viewings when its peeing down or snowy and icy on the roads), post Christmas debts and lack of cash.

For all these reasons the chances of getting viewings or a sale are greatly diminished. If you therefore keep your property on the market and don't get many viewings or a sale (which is highly likely given the above), then when the majority of house hunters start looking again in Spring you will have the following problems. They will see that your property has been on the market for nearly a year and will either think, 'there must be something wrong with that as it's been on the market ages', or, 'it's obviously over priced as it hasn't sold', or, 'They must be desperate to sell by now and I can offer way under the asking price'.

Oh and by the way - to the OP, we are considering taking it off at end of Nov/beginning of Dec, although we haven't yet decided for definate.

Olias

I'm starting to wonder about your EA Your EA who wants to make money selling your house thinks it's a good idea to take your house off the market in order to have a better chance of selling it?

Please tell me you can you see how backward that is? If my agent genuinely wanted to sell my house and though it was saleable, they wouldn't be agreeing that it was time to remove it.

I'll admit I've never sold a house in December but I've only ever had one on the market over Christmas/New Year. I've gone under offer in September, October, November, February, March, April (are those enough winter months?) and I have completed on sales in December and January and I bought last year in December and completed in January. There are always buyers. Some houses make such great Christmas houses that I'd relish selling one over the period - especially a rural house.