What are the benefits of selling my home in winter?

Winter has many benefits versus the traditional spring market. The time to sell your home is whenever you are ready to show it at its best and when you're emotionally able to move on. The fact that the mercury is dipping matters little. Homebuyers are not bears — they don't hibernate in winter. 

According to the U.S.-based National Association of Realtors, nine out of 10 homebuyers search for homes online – at their workplaces, on their smart phones, and from the comfort of their homes after dark. The seasons have no impact anymore. 

It's the conditions to sell that matter most. Interest rates in Canada are still low, there are homes for sale on the market and buyers searching. 

And sellers who stick out the market through the winter actually increase their chance to sell significantly because the inventory of available homes is smaller.

Rather than pull your house off the market due to the holiday rush, and miss a likely prospect, change the showing procedure to require advance notice. That way you can still enjoy the privacy of your home and still keep buyers interested.  A sale before year-end could be a great holiday gift. And besides, homes show well during the holidays because they are festive and inviting inside and out, which makes it easier for prospective buyers to see themselves in your home feeling the same sense of celebration the next year.

Contrary to popular belief, there are several distinct advantages to putting your home up or leaving it on the market during wintertime.

There's less competition as mentioned, so if there are buyers in your local market, you may be at an advantage selling when most sellers are waiting. And if they're looking in winter chances are they are more serious about buying than the browsing crowds that roam open houses just for the fun of it.

Capitalize on people who need to relocate for work. More corporate moves occur during January than at any other month of the year. Corporate transferees, who need to buy a house now, in winter.