Buying a home can be a stressful process at any point in the year. However, searching for a home to buy in the winter comes with its own set of pitfalls. Although the snow may obscure important features of the homes that you are looking at, there are a lot of benefits to continuing your search into the winter months. Take a look at this list of the best and worst things about buying a house in the winter.
Pros
The Price is More Favorable to the Buyer
Many potential home buyers suspend their search efforts during the colder months. Because of this, as a natural response to supply and demand, the average price for a home in the San Marcos, Tx realty market goes down. Studies have shown that the months from November to February are the slowest for selling a home. If you choose to buy a home at this point, you have the advantages of less competition and more choice. In the winter, home sellers become more “motivated”. This word means that they have more drive to work with you on the price and schedule. Sellers are more likely to work with you on a deal during the colder months.
There is a Lot Less Competition
Everyone knows that the housing market is booming in the spring and summer months. With the majority of buyers looking in these warmer months, it makes sense to wait for winter. With everyone flooding the market when the weather is warm, you are guaranteed to have less competition when it gets cold. With fewer shoppers in the San Marcos, Tx realty market, you are less likely to be outbid at the last second, and you will have a larger variety to choose from.
Cons
The Neighborhood Will Be Asleep
Due to the bad weather and sometimes frigid temperatures, a lot of homeowners may spend their winters hibernating, resulting in a neighborhood that seems to be asleep. This can make it difficult to get a feel for the neighborhood and know if it is a place where you would like to live. Many of the shopping areas and stores will still be open, but it can be hard to get the opinions of potential neighbors. A neighborhood may be much livelier in the warmer temperatures.
There are Fewer Houses to Choose From
The winter months may bring out fewer buyers, but they also present fewer homes being put on the market. While this is still good for buyers who are flexible or have fewer things that are absolute necessities, it can lengthen the process for those who do have these requirements. If a place is not perfect and does not feature all the things that you need, you may have to wait for an additional period of time.
Buying a new home is an exciting but stressful time of anyone’s life. With this list of what is good and bad about the housing market in winter, you can better make your choice as to when to begin your search.
