Are you ready to become a homeowner? While you can buy a home at any time, here are 4 advantages of buying a house during the winter time.
Owning a home is an exciting prospect: the idea of having a space that is truly yours, in which you and your family can make wonderful memories. However, before taking the leap, it’s important to remember that being a homeowner comes with many responsibilities.
Before buying a home, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Can I afford the monthly mortgage payments?
- Is owning better than renting for me? (Are You Ready To Own A Home?)
- Can I afford the associated costs (eg. mortgage life insurance, utility bills, and maintenance fees)?
- Am I here for the long haul (or a minimum of three years)?
- Can I handle home renovations?
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4 Advantages of Buying Your Home This Winter
When it comes to finding and purchasing a home, winter is not the most popular season to do so. The shorter days, wind, snow, and cold weather, make staying inside much more appealing, and on top of that, real estate sales are slower, and fewer home are on the market.
However, as a home buyer, you can benefit from being a little unorthodox. There are some perks to shopping for a house at this time - advantages that can make the buying process easier and more productive.
1. There are Fewer Buyers
One of the biggest advantages of buying a home in the winter is that most people wait until spring to shop around. This means that there will be fewer buyers in the market, which can have many benefits:
- You’ll have more flexibility with what you offer.
- There will be fewer offers on your dream home.
- Sellers will be more motivated to sell to you at a lower price due to the lack of competition.
Helpful tip: Don’t be afraid to make an offer that is below the asking price, especially if the house has been on the market for a while. If the seller needs to sell the home quickly, they could be more willing to sell at a lower price.
2. You Can See How The House Handles Winter
What most home buyers don’t consider is that buying a house in the winter is a great opportunity to see how well it handles the cold, moisture, and wind. When touring a home, make sure to check:
- the plumbing and heating
- the roof and gutters
- for issues such as air leaks or ice dams
Tip: Remember that you can always negotiate with the seller to make any repairs, or to lower the selling price if any major issues are found.
3. You May Get a Better Deal
If there are fewer buyers in the market, then you may be able to get a better price on the home you want. This is because the seller won’t have as many offers and may be willing to negotiate a better price to make the sale.
Note: While there is no guarantee that you’ll get a better price, the natural flow of supply and demand greatly increases your odds of finding a home at a fair price during the winter.
4. There’s More Focus On You
During the cold winter months, real estate agents and lenders, aren’t as busy as they would be during the spring and summer (peak selling and buying seasons). This is highly advantageous to you because:
- Your realtor will have more time to focus on finding a home that’s right for you.
- Your lender will work to get money in your hands.
In addition, the closing process, which can sometimes take weeks, may also be quicker when purchasing a home in the winter because of the slower market.
Call Today
If you are a new homeowner and you’re looking to protect this huge and important investment, our licensed insurance agents can help! Contact us at 1-844-974-2020 or fill in our online contact form.
