Between Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the ever-growing list of deep discounts on all sorts of products around the holidays, now might also be your best chance to buy a house. I’ve heard that throughout the country homeowners consider dropping their prices around 8% during the holidays. I’m sure the snowy winter months have something to do with that, but can the same be true in sunny Southwest Florida?
This year has been very busy with real estate transactions and more and more buyers are pulling the trigger. Our prices have risen in a lot of areas and we’ve seen an increase in new home construction as well. However, every single year, the market slows down from Thanksgiving until New Years.
During this time, the focus turns to shopping, decorating, and planning meals. Everything tends to slowly creep through the last month of the year as we all enjoy the holidays. Let this be your opportunity! If sellers are seeing a slowdown in buyer traffic, it’s very likely they will be willing to work a better deal than you might think. They want to get rid of their property, so don’t be afraid to make an offer!
A lot of sellers tend to get anxious during this time period because the weather is so darn nice and the population increases dramatically, but the real estate market tends to slow down. We all know that with the New Year comes a very busy market with buyers everywhere. This year with the low inventory, it’s sure to be a very good season in terms of sales and transactions. Which is even more reason why, if you are a buyer, you should consider buying before the end of this year. The market is improving and prices are increasing. Now is one of your best chances to get a good deal. Once the real season, after New Years, hits – you can forget about it.
Take advantage of today’s opportunity and enjoy the holidays and all the discounts they bring. In my business I am seeing a lot of buyers sitting on the fence due to the financial cliff coming up, but the smart ones are buying right now. They are getting good deals because of the uncertainty in the economy and the slow down with the holidays. Don’t wait because after 2012 is over, I am expecting 2013 to be a very strong real estate year. Happy Buying!
Gabe Mellein was voted a Top Real Estate Agent – Exceptional in Service and Overall Satisfaction by Gulfshore Life Magazine in 2012. He is the broker of Gulf Pointe Properties, Inc and has over 8 years experience in the SW Florida Real Estate Market. He is a member of The Naples Area Board of Realtors, Bonita Springs – Estero Association of Realtors, Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach, The Florida Association of Realtors, The National Association of Realtors, and is nationally certified in Feng Shui for Real Estate. Need real estate help? Please contact Gabe at: 239.825.2234, Gabe@GulfPointeProperties.com or www.GulfPointeProperties.com
