Is this the season to sell your house?
“With Christmas so close, there is usually good activity for houses already on the market,” Tommy’s Real Estate Sales director Nicki Cruickshank says.
“But most people don’t want to list their property at this time of the year.
“I have always thought getting on the market the week before Anniversary Weekend is perfect timing.
“A lot of people traditionally wait until the end of January or the beginning of February but most people are back at work well before this.”
She says post-Christmas is when the biggest volume of houses sells.
“People are busy all year, but when they get a chance to go on holiday or have a break, they think about — and have time to talk about — reassessing their home situation.
“So they come back refreshed and are ready to go!”
Nicki says the market traditionally is “very quiet” in Wellington over the Christmas period, “with most people leaving town in search of some sunshine.
“However, there is still activity with people who come back to Wellington to visit family and potentially consider a return to living in the city.”
“That’s a good thing if you are buying and selling in the same market. Then it is all about the difference – which is often higher in a busy rising market like this time last year.”
Nicki says most of the most active segment of the market in this the first-home buyer price range.
“Once people have the confidence to move, I think the market will return to being active in all areas. “But that will only happen when they realise that what they think they are missing out on for their home, they are making up for in what they’re paying for their next house.”
In the meantime, rising interest rates, lower prices and recessionary fears are unsettling the market, Nicki says.
“But the housing market needed a correction – it was too high and unsustainable. I think it will, and is beginning to, settle and people will continue to buy and sell.”
Nicki’s best advice for vendors in today’s market? Be patient.
“You just have to be patient and understand it could take a few weeks to sell your house.
“Buyers are taking a lot more time to do their due diligence, and the banks of course are taking a lot longer to approve buyers.
“There is usually only two reasons a house doesn’t sell: there is something wrong with it or it is to expensive for the current market.”
Connect me with a local expert
Whether you’re ready to sell or looking for answers, we’ll guide you with data-driven strategy paired with over 20 years of industry experience
Book a free appraisal
