You should list it December 26, after the holidays! When everybodies bellies are full and jolly.. Ho Ho Ho..

There is no time like the present! The longer you wait, the less you will net, with housing prices dropping . Just make sure not to overprice or you will be chasing the market downward,from then on. You should price your house lower than other comparables. If this will not work for you, maybe you should reconsider selling at this time.

If you've decided that trading homes is the best thing for you to do now, then selling first is a sound idea. When you are ready to buy there will be plenty of inventory to select from and to get your self a great house at a good value. Buyers (real buyers) rule at the moment. Selling, at least in most parts of the country, is the tricky part. You have to be agressive in your pricing and in your promotion to make your house stand out in a crowded marketplace. You will have to bite the bullet on the sell side and sell for what the market will bear, knowing that the same forces are making the home you will get for your money on the buy side more attractive by the week.

As for should you sell during the holidays (your actual question!), at least in my market, there is statistically very little difference between Days on Market in December and January. List to Sell ratios are very close as well. So from a statistical standpoint, there isn't really a monetary advantage to doing it now or doing it 5 weeks from now. So the questions I would have you ask yourself are: Do I have a compelling personal reason to put it on the market now? Do I want to make sure the house is show ready every moment during the holiday or do I not want the hassle right now? If it fits your life and your goals to do it now, then great! If not, you aren't sacrificing by waiting.

Audrey,

Nationally, home sales slow during the holidays slightly, but might I suggest you list now.

One, home prices have declined slightly and the jury is certianly out as to whether we have hit bottom yet.

Two, if you wait till after the holidays, you'll be going into the spring market, and you and your home will surely face increased competition, related to an increase of homes on the markey then.

I hope that help, and wish you the best in reaching your goal.

Thanks, Todd

It depends on your situation and your market Audrey. In our market in Northeastern Illinois it is the perfect time to buy. Mortgage rates are low, home prices are low, and there are many homes on the market to choose from. As a buyer, you are in the perfect barbaining position. However, if you are a seller, unless you are willing to price your home at or below market value, you might as well sit tight. We have few buyers even looking at our homes this time of year. If your home is priced right, you will get lookers. Don't worry about losing any money on the sale of your home because you will recoop that money on the purchase of your new home.............in other words you will be swapping equity and you will still get to move. I'd try putting your home on the market and see if you get any showings. If not, wait until the spring and try it again. I hope this helped you decide.

Laura...Audrey was not asking if she should go for sale by owner or list with a realtor. She is asking if the holidays is a good time to list her home. There are many options available. Statistically, listing with an agent is the best option for most people for many reasons.

I am sorry that you chose a couple of agents that did not perform. I am not sure if this were the agents fault or your failure to take their advise. With only 10% of the agents actually producing I am the first to admit that the market is saturated with agents that have horrible customer service and do not perform.

I am more than happy for a home owner that sells their own home and a smooth transaction. I just know that this is few and far between. I am curious because you said "so far so good" on doing it For Sale By Owner... Have you sold yet? Have you had any offers? Isn't that the true sign of how well things are going?

Keep me posted as I would love to congratulate you when you succeed!

Audrey, In the greatest state of California we are going to have some very hard loan "re-sets" coming down the pike. Nationwide, according to DataQuick, we have 40 Billion "re-casting" this December with another 140 Billion being "re-cast" in march/april. These are the 2/28's and 3/27's, all short fuse adjustables with indice's which absolutely will be going up and are most likely LIBOR (London inner Bank Offering Rate--volatile). he most "re-sets" will hapen 3rd quarter of 2008. Given that many lenders are not filing Notices of Defaults for 3-4 months after NOT receiving a payment, we are going to most likely see more defaults equating to "Short-Sales" and eventually "REO's" (bank owned re-sale proeprties) in the 2nd through 4th quarter of 2008. How many is he big question.
Many of those loans were made by Countrywide who makes about 75% of their loans in California. You are in Sacramento or pretty much "ground-zero"!! Actually the entire central valley when you look at the numbers. If I were you I'd get that home on the market TODAY!! Price it very aggressively and then take your hard-earned equity and wait for the bargains forthcoming in the future!

The Realtors all seem to have the same answer, list with a Realtor..., of corse this is no other possibility. Laura did not have a bad experiance with a couple of realtors, a couple of Realtors could not perform, and many others are full of hot air!
Nothing wrong with checking all your options! Just remember if you do sign with an agent and they do not live up to their written or verbal contract you can always get out at any time!
I speak from the sellers point of veiw, not from the people who feed off of them!

Laura... I am sorry that you have evidently had a bad experience with a Realtor or two. There are hundreds of thousands of Realtors and you would not want to do business with all of them. There are bad seeds in every business and in every industry.

I strongly disagree that the market is becoming a FOR SALE BY OWNER market. Statistics show that this could not further from the truth. Laura, even in a strong sellers market which gives FSBO's more opportunity more properties are sold through agents than by owner. There are some states that have higher percentages of success than others for a FSBO to sell FSBO but in most states the opportunity for a FSBO to sell FSBO is less than 10%. Congratulations on your success!

With all being said Audrey, Jim Walker gave you an excellent answer. I would only like to add to that with Spring comes even more competition in an already saturated market. If your area experience relocation then December is a great month to be on the market. Most markets and states are still correcting which mean prices are still dropping. Chances are your home will be worth less in the spring than it is today. Whether you list now or list later, you will need to be priced below your competition and look the best to be chosen. The good news for you is that you are buying in a great buyers market!

You could keep your current home as an investment and rent it until another sellers market. That would allow you to buy low (todays market) and sell high (future market?).

Best of luck and Happy Holidays!

Less Inventory, Serious Buyers, and families tend to reflect on where they need to be, bigger home, smaller home = motivated buyers. Holidays are a good time to sell!

Now is a good time to look at your personal finances and make a plan. Do you really need to sell at all? Why are you selling? If you like your place and can afford to stay in it for sometime why move at all? Now is the time where people need to be realistic about wants and needs. I love the book by Ilyce Glink First time home buyers, if she has one on sellers it would be a good idea to buy it.

Hi Audrey, I believe the answer depends on your particular home. If it is nicely maintained, shows great when dressed up for the holidays, and you are able to price the home properly, I think you have a good chance of getting it shown and hopefully sold. There is generally less competition during this time of year. I sold our home last Dec. You also need to consider why you are selling. Time the sale of your home to match your goals. Whether you will get more now or in the spring is anybody's guess.

Wow, I am sorry that Laura had a bad experience. I don't know about the laws in her state but here in Texas should the rent-to-own people fail to pay their rent...you have to evict them and that may take a while and they may trash your home. I'd research all options before making a decision. BTW, 80% of FSBO's list with a Realtor after several months on the market. If you are going to go FSBO, you need to make sure you know what forms you are required to provide to the potential buyer to cover your assets. How are you going to make sure they are even qualified to buy your home? Lots of things to think about...good luck

Audrey
I am sorry that Laura has had some bad luck and without the particulars I can't say what might have happened. With that said if you were to think about renting and buying a new home make sure you can carry the mortgage on two homes should you loose the renters. You should also investigat your local laws regarding removing a tennant should you need to do that. The last thing I would say is that if you are in a flat or down market that would be the LAST time on earth to go For Sale By Owner. You need the maximum marketing effort and there are thing you simply can't do on your own at any reasonable expense. If you are in a market that is flat I would get my home sold and then buy. Good luck!!

I as a recent seller of my home who has had enogh of realtors to last me a lifetime, is finding a potential for sale and also cover carry-cost and then some , in Vacation rental! Depending on your area you might want to hold off on listing with an agent and try for a couple of months : Rent with option to but, let buyers try the area on for size, before making such a major decision. This might be appealing to alot of home buyers and even the corprate personel being relocated.

You might even think about contacting such companies that are relocating people in your area and offer them some special dels such as tri or bi-monthly rentals.

Just a suggestion! were using this tecknique and so far so good! Were finding that this flat market is soon becomming a FOR SALE BY OWNER MARKET! You might want to foward this info to freinds and familt.

We are located in the Pocono's and our homes web-site is http://www.sawcreekestate.com, to give you ideas on what we are doing!

Good Luck To You!
Laura

Jim Walker's advice is good as is the help from the rest of the non-beatles listed below. But Jim seems to have the uniform of the only wanabee Sgt. Peppers hearts club band Picture in profile. And
I have allways wondered why real esate Agents choose to get the same head shot photos taken as pro/amatuer actors do.

My office is in Granite Bay, - I'll take a more neutral stance than my first five Trulia Voices peers.
There are over 200 homes for sale just in Granite Bay. In addition to GB, parts of Loomis, Newcastle, Roseville, Rocklin, Folsom and Orangevale have homes that add competition to those two hundred.

Whether you start now or wait until January or spring, there is and will be a BUYER's market in effect, even in Granite Bay.

You will have to compete with desperate sellers and motivated sellers along with banks

( Banks depress values because they add to the sheer number of homes for sale and due to the poor condition of bank owned homes.)

Putting your house on market now at the price you WANT, instead of at a MUST SELL price will just make your house a stale listing in the spring.

If you list it now, you'll have to price it AS IF you were as desparate as some of the other sellers. The fact that you are not desparate to sell will make it hard for you to emulate them enough to compete. So if you can swallow hard and do that, then proceed. If not, then waiting til the market is a sellers market agian may be more comfortable for you. - And that could be a year or more.

Jim typed Best Answer at the beginning of his post. He is a funny guy!!!

Hi Audrey,

Remember too that no one knows if prices will continue to go down. If so, you may sell at a lower price after the Holidays.

If you buy know, remember that there are a lot of people out there that need to sell so you will likely get a great value.

Best Regards,

George Antonopoulos
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Madison, CT

Audrey
I noted your Best Answer.
I have a request.
Post a new one when your home sells, so we know your story.
Just speaking for myself...welcome to fantasy island!

Any time is a good time to sell. Look for a realtor that works in you area to get a snapshot at the market. Good luck

Audrey,
Your home never looks better than when it is dressed for the Holidays. Why wait? I say list it. Dress it up for Christmas and list it! Good Luck!

Audrey, I've posted this before but it bears repeating!

Top 10 REASONS WHY NOW IS AN EXCELLENT TIME TO SELL and BUY!!
1. If you are a move-up buyer, you are saving more dollars than you have to give up selling your existing lower priced home.
2. You can look and look until you find the right transaction for that replacement home.
3. You will get more money now than in February or March.
4. Increases in inventory are in the negative from now until the first of January. Homes are being listed, but more are selling and going off the market, so the net effect is the inventory is shrinking, leaving less competition for your home.
5. "Fantasy" sellers are off the market now. "Serious" buyers are out looking for a home such as yours.
6. Remember people are getting divorced, having babies, getting married and passing away every month of the year, not just in the spring. Each of these big events could trigger a change in home ownership.
7. Some people need to buy before December 31st for taxes.
8. Many early spring buyers start looking now. There is less available than they are expecting. Your great buy of a home will be a welcome surprise and might get them to do something to be in by Christmas or New Years.
9. Interest rates are still low! And regardless of all the negative hype on the loan crisis—we have many, many programs geared to all levels of homeownership!! Ask me for the list!
10. People will notice during the Holidays how their home is cramped, or will go see someone else's great home and want to follow suit. This is a great time to "dress up your home" for a party: The Sale Celebration!

I would tell you to list now. In our area, there is less competition. Buyers who are out looking now are definitely more serious, especially in the NE where it's getting cold. And, I can not tell you how many homes (instead of houses) I have sold during the Holidays when the house is decorated and loving.

I would suggest you list it now before the Holidays.

Three reasons to consider listing now:

1. Many corporations are conducting there relocation during this time of year and there are many active serious buyers right now.
2. Holidays are a great time to showcase your house (great opportunities to separate yourself from bank-owned and short sales) and anything you can do to play an emotional touch to your home in a positive manner is a good thing.
3. Notice of defaults: try to beat the impending future foreclosures that may/may not effect neighborhood home prices.

http://www.RosevilleAndRocklin.com

Audrey
Particularly in your market, I would list it NOW. Assuming it's ready to go, of course!
Serious buyers are looking during the holidays
Serious sellers are listing, so less competition
Good Realtors are working during the holidays, so a better chance at getting the right agent and the right buyer. I showed property Christmas Eve last year, wrote up the offer Dec. 26th, we closed in January.
Homes look great, buyers are understanding of the need to be considerate and make showing appointments to coincide with family activites.

If you wait until January there will a LOT more inventory. I would not wait.

Good luck!