The holidays have several effects on the local real estate market: 1. Online marketing of homes becomes more important as buyers are busy during the holidays and more likely to view listings of friends' and families' homes. 2. Inclement weather helps identify property problems like roof leaks or drainage issues that may not be apparent otherwise. 3. Competition for buyers decreases as some buyers pause their house hunts until the new year, reducing the likelihood of multiple offer scenarios. 4. Only the most motivated buyers and sellers remain actively in the market as less motivated people put plans on hold, increasing net motivation levels on both sides.

1. 6 Effects the Holidays Have on
Your Local Real Estate Market

2. We generally think of the holiday season as
causing explosions of bad (if sweet)
sweaters, creating waistline expansion and
snowballing into bank account shrinkage. But
there are loads of less obvious implications of
the holidays - both good and bad - in every area
of life.

3. 1. Your home’s online marketing becomes
uber-important. Let’s face it - buyers are busy
around the holidays.. Further, the holiday
season is the time of year in which buyers are
the most likely to visit friends and family
member’s homes in neighborhoods they’re not
familiar with.

4. 2. Wet weather surfaces property problems.
Home inspectors can and do a whole lot to help
buyers avoid post-closing surprises in property
condition. Wet weather helps
inspectors, buyers and sellers, for that
matter, see things they
otherwise wouldn’t. Roof
leaks, drainage issues, flood-
prone basements and pump
problems are all evident in
inclement weather.

5. 3. Competition falls. If you’re a buyer who has
been frustrated by multiple offers all year, you’re
in luck. Because of holiday season
weather, parties, dinners, travels and the
like, there are a number of buyers out there who
flat out press pause on their house hunts until
the New Year. That means that if you go
contrarian and stay in the game, you’re less
likely to run into as many multiple offer
scenarios this time of year.

6. 4. Motivation spikes. When less motivated folks
of both persuasions put their plans on hold until
New Year’s, net motivation levels on both sides
automatically go up. That leaves only the people
who are truly ready and committed to make a
move still actively in the game.

7. 5. Halls are decked. In many areas, homes and
neighborhoods are decked to the nines at this
time of the year -- decorated, lit and shown off
to their very best advantage. This is the
case, not only aesthetically, but also in terms of
social and community events. This is a great
time of year for buyers to evaluate how
developed an area’s offerings are in terms of
social, recreational and cultural events - or not.

8. 6. Willpower wanes. Behavioral economists
have called out a phenomenon called ego
depletion, based on findings that if you are
hungry, tired or have depleted your willpower
by exercising it to, say, stay on a diet or spending
plan, you are more likely to splurge or make an
impulsive decision in another area.

9. • What do you see happening in your local
market right now? How are the holidays
changing your personal plans - or not - when
it comes to buying or selling?
• Do holidays affect your buying on selling
habits? Yes or No - comment below…

10. Randy Bett
Investment Realtor/Author/Investor
Real Estate Professionals Inc.
Better Group Real Estate
202-5403 Crowchild Trail NW
Calgary, AB T3B 4Z1
Phone:403-774-7464 Ext:1
Fax:403-208-0082
Toll Free fax:888-711-6801

11. Randy Bett
www.BetterGroupRealEstate.ca