Contrary to popular belief, winter is a great time to buy a home. Although the peak season to buy a house is around spring and summer, there are many advantages to searching during the winter.
First of all, there are a lot of motivated sellers. One reason for this is that houses are normally listed during the warm months, so if you found your dream home until the end of the year, sellers might be a little bit more open to negotiation. If the property is newly listed, most sellers will be eager to sign a contract before the end of the year and might be willing to accept lower offers because of tax implications or forced relocations. This is a great time to negotiate closing costs or household appliances included in the sale.
Second, there is less competition given that buyers usually take a break searching for homes during the colder months. For this reason, prices won't go up, buyers can have more control during the negotiations, and offers are more likely to be accepted. A third reason for buying a home during the holiday season is that there is a possibility that loan and mortgages interest rates can be lower at the end of the year. Given that there is less competition out there, and fewer people are looking to buy and borrow, interest rates can be lower - which will really show over the term of your mortgage! Home prices tend to be lower, too.
Lastly, agents tend to be more available at the end of the year. They'll be able to spend more time helping you during your search and negotiation process. They could eventually help you close a deal faster too, and you'll be able to move in as soon as possible. Keep in mind though that it's not only real estate agents who have some open spaces on their agenda, but mortgage brokers, home inspectors, legal professionals, and even movers!
While most people are cooped up inside, you'll have a greater advantage over them, and the upper hand when closing deals. Winter doesn't sound so bad to find your beautiful dream home now, does it?