How can buying a home in winter save time and money?

Have you been thinking about buying a new home in the Halifax? Don’t feel you have to wait until the spring to start looking. There are some solid reasons to start your hunt in the Halifax Real Estate market during the winter.  In fact, here are 5 Reasons Why Buying a Home in the Winter Can Save You Time and Money.

• Lower Purchase Prices – Many people do not want to deal with the boots, and the snow by putting their homes on the market in the winter, so you must think that winter sellers have a strong reason to be selling. That generally means they are very motivated to sell. Often, they have had an unexpected change in their lives like a job transfer, new baby coming etc. so they need to sell quickly. That means a reasonable price for you.

• More Room for Negotiation – Who wants to leave their toasty home and head out into the cold for a few hours while a showing is taking place? Sellers always want their homes to sell quickly, but this is even more so in winter. That gives you the edge when it comes to negotiating a fair price.

• Less Competition – Homeowners are not the only ones who are not thrilled about going out into the cold. Buyers are scarcer during the winter months as well. Agents often hear their buyers want to “take a break” over the winter. This could be an opportunity for the savvy home buyer who realizes there is less competition, which can work nicely in your favour.

• Catch Expensive Problems Early – Several larger home issues are more apparent in the winter. You can readily see if that melting snow is sloping towards the property which can results in leaks. Melting snow is also a great indicator of roof issues and eavestrough damage. Snowstorms or cold days can alert you to drafts, poor windows, warping doors, insulation deficits, and HVAC challenges, to name a few.

• Higher Availability of Services - Realtors, contractors, banks, etc. are all very busy in spring and summer when most people are making home purchases. Statistics show that if you buy your home in the winter you get better service and more attention from every professional you need to work with to close your deal. Also, since contractors have less work in the winter months, you likely can get any internal renovations done faster, and cheaper, than waiting until the spring. You might even consider connecting with landscapers during the winter to set your plans for first thing in the spring.

As you can see, there is no bad time to consider purchasing a home in the Halifax Real Estate market. To get an idea of what is on the market, consider asking your Agent about Halifax MLS listings, Realtor.ca, and also about exclusive listings. Never underestimate putting your home buying thoughts into your conversations as you may hear about homes for sale by owners. Even if the owner is not being represented by an Agent, you can still be protected in the process by connecting with an Agent.