Winter Wonderland

Typically there’s a thick blanket of snow covering everything in sight–and if there isn’t, it won’t be long until there is. It is for this reason that the real estate market is notoriously slow in the winter months. While it’s tempting to curl up with a steaming cup of cocoa and a good book, this is actually one of the best times to purchase real estate. Numerous factors, which we will outline here, combine to make this time of year a buyer’s market for novice purchasers and high-powered investors alike.

Interest Rates are Still Low: Okay, so this isn’t because it’s winter.  Fed policy has helped to keep rates historically low. While none of us have a crystal ball, investors and home-buyers could see significantly higher rates in the not so distant future.

Fewer Buyers: Get ready to dust off your Econ. 101 notes–as demand drops and supply remains relatively constant (or at least if demand drops more sharply than supply), we should expect prices to drop as well. Most other buyers, whether to avoid the slush or moving their children during the school year, will be drinking their cocoa rather than pounding pavement (or ice, as the case may be). In addition to lower prices, buyers will enjoy greater negotiating power as there are fewer standby offers (or even interested buyers) for the Seller to rely upon. Further, chances are that if the property is on the market during the winter months it has been on the market for longer than the seller wanted and as such is motivated to sell. Wintertime bidding wars are rare.  All of this plays to the advantage of the buyer.

Agents will have Fewer Clients: Since there are fewer buyers during the winter months, Real Estate Agents will simply have fewer clients to tend to. This means each client will receive a larger portion of the Agent’s attention, and by extension, even greater searching and negotiating power.

Lower Loan Application Volume: When fewer homes are sold, lenders have fewer applications to process. Similar to the greater attention from Agents, loan processors will likely have more resources to dedicate to your application which should improve speed and smoothness of the loan application process.

You Get to See the House at its Worst: Yes, you read that correctly. At base, selling a house is selling a product. There’s a reason that most listings show the property in the middle of spring or summer, covered with lush vegetation and manicured landscaping: it helps to increase the buyer’s perception of the property’s value. Buying when the property is covered with snow, sand, salt, and ice removes the emotional “wow” that fair weather primping can have. Additionally, prospective buyers will have a better idea of the condition of essential systems—for example, whether the furnace adequately heats the space. Leaks, cracks, and other cold weather problems will also manifest themselves more readily in the dark winter months.

While it might feel counterintuitive to start your search while the frigid winds are still howling, the intrepid buyer is more likely to score a deal than the one who is waiting for the springtime thaw.  For additional considerations about whether this is the time to invest in real estate, check out our past Article: Is It Time To Buy That Investment Property Or Second Home?

 

Stiles Law, with offices located in Boston and Marshfield, Massachusetts, is a firm concentrating in real estate conveyancing and mortgage lending services, representing buyers, sellers, borrowers, banks, mortgage companies, investors, builders and developers in all of their real estate and mortgage transactions. Stiles Law serves all areas of eastern Massachusetts–the North Shore, Boston, and Cape Cod, in addition to the entire South Shore, including: Plymouth, Kingston, Duxbury, Hanover, Pembroke, Marshfield, Scituate, Norwell, Cohasset, Hull, Hingham, Weymouth, Braintree, and Quincy.

Copyright © 2015 Stiles Law, All rights reserved. Stiles Law is a Massachusetts licensed law firm and all content is based on Massachusetts law. The information presented above is meant to be used for general informational purposes and it should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific facts.