News

Main article content

It’s no secret that Christmas is a slow period in real estate. With parties, school holidays, present shopping and other end-of-year mayhem to contend with, the last thing on most people’s minds is buying and selling property. It’s tempting to fool yourself into thinking the year is all but over.

There might be less of them, but buyers and sellers are still out there. With some clever strategy and an effective marketing campaign, there’s no reason you can’t help vendors sell successfully and secure great prices, just like you would any other time of the year.

So if you’re not sure where to start, here are some common Christmas property market myths to dispel.

MYTH: The property market closes for business over Christmas.

Sure, the property market slows down over the Christmas period. But no matter the time of year, there’s always people keen to buy and sell. Come December, those people are serious. Christmas isn’t the most convenient time to be in the property market, so you can bet that those who are aren’t messing around. People want to be settled in a new home before they begin work and send the kids back to school in the new year.

Christmas 2013 is shaping up to be busier than usual after a huge spring. November 30 is likely to be another Super Saturday, with over 1000 auctions scheduled, so those who miss out then will still in the market in December. Reach out to buyers who lost out on properties in the neighbourhood and give them a chance to see the other homes you’re marketing.

MYTH: Embrace the festive season when presenting a property for sale.

We all love Christmas. There are appropriate places to show that love – and a property looking for a buyer is not one of them. When presenting a property for sale during the festive season, your best bet is to play it safe and skip the decorations. At most, a tasteful wreath or a mini Christmas tree tucked discreetly on a side table will do. Everything else – flashing lights, ceiling-skimming trees, anything that sings Christmas carols on repeat – can be left in the box and stored out of sight. Show the property in its best possible light, just like you usually would.

MYTH: At the end of the year, it’s OK to relax.

Remember, potential buyers want to find the right property before the new year; capitalise on that sense of urgency. Make it easy for buyers to fall in love with a property by using professional stylists and photographers, providing information like pest reports and building inspections up front, and offering extended settlement periods while businesses are closed over Christmas. Make sure the property is correctly priced to attract genuine offers, and never fail to provide outstanding customer service and communication. With fewer buyers in the market, you need to be doing everything possible to get their attention. Make sure your marketing campaign has serious impact.

MYTH: It’s a bad time to sell, and there’s not much you can do about it.

Don’t fall for that old Christmas-is-the-wrong-time-to-sell line. There’s never a perfect time; make what’s available work for you. We’ve already established that the market is quieter at the end of the year; that means plenty of opportunity to make your vendors properties stand out. Take the opportunity to get creative while you’ve got the space to really grab attention.

Because of the smaller buyer pool, you need to pull out all the stops. A high-quality, well planned campaign combining a strong online push with strategic print elements will ensure that the momentum of the market works in your favour.

What are your thoughts on selling property during the festive season? Let us know below: