The holidays are here once again, and cooler weather is finally starting to arrive in Florida. With everyone running around trying to get everything for the perfect family feast along with presents, now may seem like the worst time to go house hunting. Even though it may seem a little counter-intuitive, there are several perks to buying during the holiday season.
Less Competition
During the holidays, most buyers celebrate, attend parties, go out of town, host friends and family, and try to stay out of the cold. They may have even heard that now is not the best time to shop for a house. Whatever the reason is, house hunting when there is less competition can pay off big. Competing with multiple offers is one of the most stressful parts of the home-buying process, so if you can eliminate the competition, you will have less stress throughout the home buying process.
Motivated Home Sellers
A person selling their house in December is more likely to be motivated and serious about selling their house. Which means they are more likely to negotiate. So, even though there are typically fewer homes for sale during the holiday season, the ones that are could be more flexible in pricing.
Tax Advantages
Buying a house can now save you money in April and beyond. Homeowners get numerous tax breaks, from deducting mortgage interest and property taxes. The House of Representatives just passed its version of the GOP proposed tax plan, which would cap the property tax deduction at $10,000. The House bill also would only allow homeowners to deduct the interest on mortgages up to $500,000, down from the current $1 million.
Realistic Picture of the House
All houses look their best in the springtime with fresh grass and newly planted flowers. However, in the winter, it is a different story. Florida doesn’t receive as much rainfall which causes most plant life to die. Also, checking out a home in the winter time could give you a better idea of issues in the house. For example, maybe there is a bedroom that doesn’t get sufficient heat, or the front door gets jammed in cold conditions. Inspectors are less likely to catch these issues within the home when they check them out of season.
