Columbus Day Sales in Full Swing - Houses Too!

Yes, retail stores are starting their holiday sales on Columbus Day! Too soon? Well, maybe, but not for homeowners who want to sell their houses and homebuyers who want move before the holidays or at least before the winter...who wants to be moving in the snow and ice?

Serious sellers who are putting their houses on the market now need to make sure they are pricing their homes realistically and those who have been on the market for a while and over estimated what buyers would be willing to pay need to reduce their prices; and many are doing that. We're seeing price reductions everyday in towns where you may not expect it - Concord, Weston, Newton, Arlington, Wayland, etc.. Luxury home buyers have some especially good opportunities right now. If you are planning to buy a house and want to be in for the holidays or soon after, Columbus Day is the day to get going!

Unlike shopping for clothing, electronics, mattresses, or even a car where you can get same day
pickup or take possession within a couple of days, it takes time to close on a house. If you're selling you need to get the house ready and your agent needs time to market the property in order to secure the right buyer. If you are buying, you need to contract with a buyer agent, decide on a property, do your due diligence, have your home inspection, have your attorney review documents and have your mortgage approved and cleared to close.

 The timeline from offer acceptance to closing on a home is generally 45 to 60 days. Some lenders can get everything done in 30 days if all of your paperwork is in order and the appraisal can be completed quickly, but that is too stressful for most buyers and most offer 45 to 60 days. Even cash deals can take a couple of weeks - title searches and paperwork still need to be completed by attorneys, etc.

The Fall real estate market is in process and if you want to be home for the holidays, take a page from retailers and start now. Oh and about those great retail sales, it's a good idea to hold off on your purchases and not run up debt on your credit cards. Lenders don't like to see a lot of new debt when they are reviewing your eligibility for a mortgage. They'll be plenty of bargains, especially on home-goods, after the holidays... and you'll have a great time filling your new home! Check out homes for sale and contact me if you'd like to be home for the holidays - https://www.marilynmessenger.com

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About Marilyn - https://www.marilynmessenger.com/recommendations-for-marilyn-messenger

7984 Reasons to Sell Your House Over the Holidays

Holiday Season is a Great Time to Sell!

The holiday season is such a hectic time for people. Getting together with family and friends, traveling, shopping, decorating, company parties, charity events... So why would a home-seller keep their house on the market and even more, why would anyone list their house for sale during this busy time? A lot of real estate agents (who don't work over the holidays) will tell you that no one buys houses over the holidays anyway and you'll get more money if you wait until Spring like everyone else does, right?

Well actually, there are 7984 reasons why! That is the number of single-family and condominium home sellers in Middlesex County who accepted offers on their houses last year between November 15 and January 15. That includes 22 in Sudbury, 12 in Wayland, 17 in Concord, and 18 in Maynard. In Weston, there were 16, 22 in Hudson, and in Acton there were 30!

Sale prices for the properties that accepted offers during the holidays ranged from $108,000 for a condominium in Acton to $5,500,000 for a luxury estate in Weston; and all prices ranges in between. 

So why do houses sell over the holidays? Because:

• Buyers have time to look; unused vacation days; companies give their employees extra time for shopping.
• Holiday/year-end bonuses.
• Pay-raises.
• Motivated buyers who missed out or were out-bid in the Spring, Summer and Fall markets.
• New jobs - companies hire for the new year. Relocating buyers need to make decisions soon.
• People get engaged, married, combine households and need more space.
• Visiting family brings out the nesting instinct.
• Down-payment holiday gifts - click here to out how your family can give money tax-free.
• Good deals; buyers are seeing price reductions from sellers who are ready to move.
• People are in the mood to shop and there's nothing better than buying a house!

As for selling for more money in the Spring, if you are selling your house you are most likely going to buy another place to live. If prices are higher in the Spring, then you will also pay more for your next house. You may sell for less at this time of year but you will also pay less. If your end-goal is to buy another house, then understand that selling is just a step n the process toward buying. You will be ready to act as soon as houses come on the market while other buyers are waiting to sell.

So if your house is currently on the market, hang in there; the inconvenience can be worth it. If you are planning to sell, do it now. You'll be ahead of the competition and be ready to move forward.
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If you are ready to buy or sell in Concord, Wayland, Sudbury, or any of the towns west of Boston - call Marilyn at 508-596-3501 or visit www.marilynmessenger.com to see homes for sale in Massachusetts.

Sudbury Home Sales and Prices Continiue to Rise

                      
Sales and prices of single-family homes in Sudbury (MA) continue to rise over this time last year while the number of homes for sale remains about the same. Condominium inventory is less than last year due to the new townhouses that went on the market last year have sold quickly and there are only a few remaining for sale.  Luxury home-buyers continue to have the most choices. Click here for the the latest market market report for Sudbury.