December in Marin: Winter Chill is in the Air and in the Market

December is here in Marin and the warmth of November is long gone. Both the rare 80 degree temps and the heat in the housing market I wrote about last month disappeared, as a cold December wind blew both right out of the county. That means winter is officially here, arriving right on time with light local rain and snow in the Sierras. Homes are decorated for the holidays with lights and cheer, but with one thing missing: For Sale signs.

As is typical this time of year, many people are just “on to other things”: spending time with family, shopping, staying in, going away, you name it. What it often doesn’t mean is dealing with the home selling or buying process. Many home sellers withdraw their properties from the market to take a breather or to focus on those other things. Many home buyers do the same. Everybody needs a break sometimes and dealing with the often daily grind of a real estate sale is no exception. But is it a smart move to not make a move? All depends.

For buyers, the dead of winter can often mean a rare opportunity to get a good deal here. There’s a chance they can grab a property that’s been sitting on the market, passed over and ripe for an offer. And that doesn’t mean multiple offers, either. Buyers just have to look past the dead flowers, brown lawn or chilly environment–literally–as many sellers forget to leave the heat on for spontaneous showings. I have always said that the rainy days of winter are a buying opportunity here, though few take me up on that.

For sellers? Well, I get it that you need and deserve a break and want to leave MLS and the selling process. It can be a grind to have your house perfect everyday in case there’s one of those spontaneous showings. So I actually support dropping off the market for the winter months. Spring is our busy time, so maybe wait until late February here to capture the full swing of the March/April buying season. We just don’t know what the temperature will be economically and you will be joined by a lot of other sellers with the same plan. If you leave your house on the market in the winter, you could be one of the only choices out there, so who knows, maybe keep it on and see what happens?

Either way, the holidays are here and let’s all stay focused on the important things, like friends and family. We’re here for a good time, not a long time, as they say, and Marin real estate will always be around for another day if you want to take a break. If not, I’m here to help. Just let me know what I can do.

That’s it for now. Enjoy December wherever you are, and thanks for reading.

Happy Holidays,

Ted

415.377.5222
ted@gomarin.com

Filed under: Marin Real Estate Blog by Ted Strodder