Things To Watch Out For When Buying A Home During The Winter In The Northwest Valley
Spring and summer are typically the seasons when both the weather and the real estate markets heat up, and the market tends to favor sellers. Winter, on the other hand, typically means a buyer’s market – if you don’t mind getting out in the cold and snow to do some house hunting. But winter buying also has some pitfalls, usually in the form of certain assumptions and a lack of circumspection on the part of buyers. So here are some important things to watch out for when buying a home during the winter in the Northwest Valley.
Assuming You’ll Easily Score a Sweet Deal
Buying a home during the winter in the Northwest Valley can net you a sweet deal, but it won’t just fall into your lap (usually). Home prices are lower, sellers are motivated, and competing bidders are home by the fire. Could there be any better conditions for a bargain-basement deal, you think? This kind of thinking will often lead to disappointment because you will still have to make a competitive offer. And in most cases, you will have to go through the negotiations process to get concessions.
Forgetting About Holiday Debt
Buying a home during the winter may mean that you have taken more holiday debt than at another time of year perhaps. Make sure to take this into account because you can bet that your lender will. It doesn’t matter if you have good credit, changing the amount of debt with alter your debt-to-income ratio and that may affect your loan. So, if you plan to buy a home during the winter, be careful about that holiday debt. Otherwise, you may have to pass on the home you really want.
Failing to Visualize
Houses can look different in the winter vs summer. Winter tends to be more dark and gloomy or if a house is decorated with lights, you may be distracted by that holiday shine and not see important items. Depending on where you live, the trees may be bare, the lawn may have died out along with the flowers. Visualize how the house will look with green grass, sun shining and flowers blooming. Just be aware of the pitfalls here and make sure to have an open mind.
Not Taking into Account Closing Delays
One item comes up more during the winter and holiday season than other times of the year, and that is closing delays. Nobody wants to move in a blizzard, when it’s cold out or close to holidays. Make sure you consider possible closing delays when buying a home during the winter in the Northwest Valley. If repairs are needed, it may take longer to get qualified tradesmen out to either look or fix items. Scheduling during this time can be difficult with extended vacations this time of year.
Making a Lowball Offer
Buying a home during the winter may work out in your favor, but don’t think you can get away insulting sellers by making lowball offers. You will still need to bring a reasonable offer and rely on your agents negotiating skills. Work with your agent here to come up with the best strategy.
We can help you with buying a home during the winter – contact us today! (602) 806-8834
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