‘Tis the season to be buying

By your real estate dude

I know I’m stating the obvious, but in case you’ve just returned from outer space, Christmas is right around the corner. Christmas, or at least the commercialized version of it, is everywhere. The retail onslaught is relentlessly pursuing each of us on television, radio commercials, print and every other form of advertising devised by man. ‘Tis the season when retail stores try with all their might to make their sales for the year and everyone, it seems, is focused on the holidays to come.

So much so in fact, that many of us become afflicted with a strange illness about a week before Christmas called “short timer’s disease.” You’ve seen it in your workplace; people just going through the motions waiting for Christmas vacation to start. Some desks are already empty and many companies are working with a skeleton crew. Nobody likes to admit it, but most folks are more interested in shopping and company Christmas parties than they are in working as the day draws nearer. Like I said, “’tis the season.”

Just about every business has a seasonal component to it. For retail, this is the time to rake in the bucks. But, for real estate this is down time. While people everywhere are swarming the malls, raiding internet retailers and marking time at work, thousands of homes are for sale without anyone paying them any attention. If you’re trying to sell, this time of year can be a bit discouraging, but if you’re buying this is the right time for you.

Come January, things traditionally start to pick up for real estate, but from now until the end of the year the real estate market slows to a crawl. The beautiful part for buyers is the almost total lack of competition. Sellers are more likely to bend over backwards to make you a deal during this season because you will probably be the only buyer they have.

So call me Santa and take my advice. If you’re ready to buy, take a break from the malls, grab your Realtor, go house hunting and make an offer. You might be surprised by the happy result. After all, ‘tis the season to be jolly!