Selling a House During Winter Months
Inventory is at an all time low. Thinking of Selling? Now is the time!
For example: Cold Spring Harbor School District only has 37 homes on the market as of Jan 26th, 2023, when typically there are 100 homes on the market during Spring.
Email us to find out how many homes are available and the statistics for your school district.
While it can be a challenge to sell during the holiday season, with some helpful strategies, expert tips, and creative marketing, you can find a great buyer for your home any time of year — even in the winter.
❄️The truth about selling a house during the holidays
When we talk about winter, we’re talking about roughly December 1 to February 28, which includes all the major winter holidays, plus Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Valentine’s Day, and Presidents Day. This period of time is marked by not-so-great weather, holiday travel, and time spent with family.
❄️What it’s like to sell in the winter
Over the past few years, winter home sales have increased and days on the market have decreased, but not necessarily because more people are buying in the winter. The more plausible explanation is that the housing market has been increasing in general, so there are more buyers for every season of the year.
❄️Who’s buying in the winter?
Simply put: All kinds of buyers shop in all seasons. It’s a common misconception that most home buyers have school-aged children, and that they only shop for homes during summer vacation. In fact, according to Zillow research, more than half of buyers don’t have kids under 18 at home, so they’re not limited by school schedules.
❄️Benefits of selling a house in the winter
- Motivated buyers: The buyers actively shopping for a new home in the winter are likely very motivated — often moving because of a job relocation, change in financial situation, or change in family needs.
- Less seller competition: With fewer homes on the market in winter, there’s less competition from other sellers, and a limited inventory for buyers.
- More time off work: People tend to take time off work during the winter, and three-day weekends like MLK Day and Presidents Day can be popular home shopping days. As a seller, it also means more options for showings and open houses!
- More attention from agents: When agents have fewer listings, sellers receive more of their undivided attention. The same goes for buyers’ agents — they have more time to arrange showings and negotiate deals.
- Tax benefits: Buyers looking to purchase homes before the end of the year for tax purposes find December listings ideal.
3 Holiday selling tips
Invest in professional photography
Check out our photography here
Quality real estate photos are everything, and making a home’s interior seem light and bright during the winter takes a professional. And, when selecting a photo of a home’s exterior, consider one of the tried-and-true tricks to selling a house: Use a picture from the previous spring or summer.
Hire the right agent
Us 😉
When interviewing agents, make sure to ask about their experience with selling in the winter or in slow markets. Find out how they plan to market the home when there is a limited pool of buyers.
Price to sell (We have a proven track record in receiving multiple over asking offers when priced competitively.)
Contact us to learn how
A well-priced home can sell quickly no matter the season. Using recently sold comparables from the neighborhood, have your agent help you price the home to attract the biggest pool of potential buyers.
Staging Tips For Selling a Home During Winter
⛄️Keep decorations simple
There’s something about the holiday season that makes a house feel like home. But when selling, less is more, so avoid excessive Christmas/Holiday decorations. Aim for tasteful holiday decorations like a small tree in one corner, a few wrapped gifts underneath (consider wrapping empty boxes in case of package thieves!), a nice wreath on the front door, or an understated pine cone centerpiece.
🍪Bake cookies
Baking cookies before an open house is a classic real estate technique, but it works especially well when selling at Christmas. Invite potential buyers in with the scent, and keep them exploring the home with a tasty treat.
🧣Make it cozy
Winter is the perfect time to emphasize cozy features. Turn the fireplace on, decorate with warm colors, and add a few throw blankets around the home.
🥾Add some (winter) curb appeal
When selling property in winter, curb appeal takes on a different look. Shovel snow, offer umbrellas, illuminate pathways, and make sure there’s a doormat for visitors to wipe their wet feet.
💡Turn the lights on
Daylight hours are limited during winter months, so maximize light whenever possible. Install higher wattage light bulbs and turn on additional lights, both to make a home’s interior look its best, and to create a warm glow from the street.
🔥Turn the heat on
Drafts are less noticeable with the heat on, so make sure that potential buyers are welcomed inside with warmth. If it’s been a while since examining the HVAC system, now is the time. Affordable fixes like adding insulation, replacing weather stripping, and servicing the furnace can go a long way.
🧹Clean the gutters
Overflowing or broken gutters can be one of the first (negative) things buyers notice. Once fall ends, be sure to clear out all those leftover leaves.
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This real estate experience was by far the best we have ever had.
My husband and I recently purchased a beautiful home with the expertise help from Joyce and Elena. So much time was devoted to showing us the area, many homes visited until we found just what we wanted. This... Read full review
We cannot thank you enough for all your hard work, creativity and kindness.
We felt compelled to send you a note to thank you for the outstanding job you did in listing and selling our home. Given how complicated and emotionally charged the process was, having a team with your... Read full review
The Lucky to Live Here Team are truly the best real estate agents a seller or buyer can work with.
The Lucky to Live Here Team are truly the best real estate agents a seller or buyer can work with. They understands their client's needs and offers excellent market insight. They are very responsive and... Read full review
Top notch marketing.
Knowledgable about all aspects of the real estate market in the 5 harbors. Whether buying or selling, this is the team you want. Top notch marketing. our home will definitely get more exposure... Read full review
Impressed by their poise and professionalism
Elena and Joyce are extremely hardworking, consummate professionals. They do a phenomenal job marketing your property. Its a super competitive a world out there. Elena, Joyce and her team work closely with you... Read full review
Their online presence and creative & innovative approaches to marketing made such a difference in our selling experience.
Elena, Joyce, Ashley, and the whole team at Lucky to Live Here are wonderful. Their online presence and creative & innovative approaches to marketing made such a difference in our selling experience. We... Read full review
And more importantly they truly care about their clients.
Lucky to Live Here Realty is the ONLY real estate agency you should be using in the 5 harbors! Elena, Joyce and their entire team are extremely knowledgeable, professional and resourceful when it comes to real... Read full review
They were ALL positive, supportive, knowledgeable, and extremely professional every moment!
A sincere THANK YOU to Sari/Joyce/Amanda and the whole "Lucky to Live Here" team! It was a very difficult and emotional decision to move out of New York and place a stranger in the only home I've... Read full review
I can't wait to work with them again.
Laura Ambrosio and Jackie Stephens were instrumental in selling three of my investment properties. They were enthusiastic and well prepared, every time we met. Two of my properties had been previously listed,... Read full review
It was wonderful to leave the house knowing that it was in good hands.
Elena & Joyce were both wonderful to work with during the sale of our home. It was wonderful to leave the house knowing that it was in good hands. No lock boxes, no unattended people walking through the... Read full review
Seasoned team with thorough knowledge of their industry
I can only say positive things about Joyce and Elena , with Lucky to Live Here Realty. From the sale of our home,to the purchase of our new home , both Joyce and Elena displayed utmost professionalism at all... Read full review
Video Testimonial
This real estate experience was by far the best we have ever had.
My husband and I recently purchased a beautiful home with the expertise help from Joyce and Elena. So much time was devoted to showing us the area, many homes visited until we found just what we wanted. This real estate experience was by far the best we have ever had. True professionals and warm people. Looking forward to keeping in touch with our new neighbors!
We cannot thank you enough for all your hard work, creativity and kindness.
We felt compelled to send you a note to thank you for the outstanding job you did in listing and selling our home. Given how complicated and emotionally charged the process was, having a team with your experience, intelligence and professionalism at our side throughout was invaluable. Also, getting our expected price and within our time frame in such a difficult market, speaks for itself in terms of getting results. We saw firsthand how much attention to detail and daily initiative the listing and sale took. We cannot thank you the team enough for all your hard work, creativity and kindness.
The Lucky to Live Here Team are truly the best real estate agents a seller or buyer can work with.
The Lucky to Live Here Team are truly the best real estate agents a seller or buyer can work with. They understands their client's needs and offers excellent market insight. They are very responsive and reliable. The Lucky to Live Here Team make you feel very comfortable -- it's a bonus that they are a joy to be around. We were impressed with their "can do" attitude and give them the highest recommendation.
Top notch marketing.
Knowledgable about all aspects of the real estate market in the 5 harbors. Whether buying or selling, this is the team you want. Top notch marketing. our home will definitely get more exposure with this firm. They go above and beyond what you would expect. I highly recommend Elena and Joyce and their whole staff.
Impressed by their poise and professionalism
Elena and Joyce are extremely hardworking, consummate professionals. They do a phenomenal job marketing your property. Its a super competitive a world out there. Elena, Joyce and her team work closely with you to strategically differentiate, gain attention and break through the clutter. During the likelihood of experiencing drama during the listing, negotiation and closing phases, I've been consistently impressed by their poise and professionalism. They are truly standouts and I can't recommend them enough.
Their online presence and creative & innovative approaches to marketing made such a difference in our selling experience.
Elena, Joyce, Ashley, and the whole team at Lucky to Live Here are wonderful. Their online presence and creative & innovative approaches to marketing made such a difference in our selling experience. We never for a second felt as if our house was going to just sit on some listing somewhere. There was no cookie cutter process. They truly thought about the best way to highlight our home. From the photo shoot to the drone footage to the last minute “Hey, what if we film an interview to talk about how special this home is” — the care with which they discussed our needs made it apparent from the start that we were in the best of hands. We highly recommend Lucky to Live Here.
And more importantly they truly care about their clients.
Lucky to Live Here Realty is the ONLY real estate agency you should be using in the 5 harbors! Elena, Joyce and their entire team are extremely knowledgeable, professional and resourceful when it comes to real estate on Long Island. And more importantly they truly care about their clients. My husband and I couldn’t have had a better experience and will recommend them to all of our friends and family!
They were ALL positive, supportive, knowledgeable, and extremely professional every moment!
A sincere THANK YOU to Sari/Joyce/Amanda and the whole "Lucky to Live Here" team! It was a very difficult and emotional decision to move out of New York and place a stranger in the only home I've ever owned and was so proud of. The entire team made me feel beyond comforted and confident in every way throughout the process. They were ALL positive, supportive, knowledgeable, and extremely professional every moment! A wonderful experience!!!!
I can't wait to work with them again.
Laura Ambrosio and Jackie Stephens were instrumental in selling three of my investment properties. They were enthusiastic and well prepared, every time we met. Two of my properties had been previously listed, unsuccessfully, with other realtors, but Laura and Jackie managed to get them sold in short order. They also managed to sell a third property, quickly, at full price. I would highly recommend Laura and Jackie for any of your real estate needs, and I can't wait to work with them again.
It was wonderful to leave the house knowing that it was in good hands.
Elena & Joyce were both wonderful to work with during the sale of our home. It was wonderful to leave the house knowing that it was in good hands. No lock boxes, no unattended people walking through the house. One of them always accompanied other realtors while our home was being shown. They were responsive to our needs, & gave us more than adequate notice before each showing appointment. Also because we were not leaving the area right away, we needed to find a rental after we sold. Sari helped us find something that was within our price range and still close to old friends. The whole process was as un-stressful as something like this could ever be. 👍🏻😊
Seasoned team with thorough knowledge of their industry
I can only say positive things about Joyce and Elena , with Lucky to Live Here Realty. From the sale of our home,to the purchase of our new home , both Joyce and Elena displayed utmost professionalism at all times, coupled with endless energy and optimism all the while treating us like old friends. I highly recommend them as a well seasoned team with thorough knowledge of their industry.
Blog courtesy of Zillow