Why buy a house in December?

The majority of home sales take place in the summer according to the Federal Reserve – typically June and July. This can be for several reasons, weather definitely being at the top. Who wants to shop for a home in the freezing temperatures or sleet and snow? Not to mention, most people tend to utilize the summer months for moving because of things like kids being out of school.

As 2021 taught us, it was impossible to get the first home you bid on. Buyers were making extravagant offers just to snag a home and it was a constant battle to even get a tour of one that wasn’t immediately under contract. 

It was a stressful buying season. 

Prices tend to be lower and sellers a little more desperate to sell during this time of the year, too . Maybe they tried all summer to sell or there was an unexpected emergency – this can lead to an incredible deal for you. 

Shopping during this month can also give you a really good feel for the weathering on the home. Are you feeling drafts, cold spots or even being able to really see how good the heater works. This will be great for your inspector! You’ll get a real deal review. These are things you wouldn’t necessarily be able to really see until you were in the home and by then, you’d be stuck with whatever the result was. 

The downside to purchasing a home around this time of year is that your selection of homes will most likely be smaller, due to less people putting things on the market. But while your supply may be more limited, you might find that less competition and cheaper prices outweigh how many homes you have available to look at. 

But, if you are scrappy, shopping for a home in December can save you a good amount of money. While everyone else is decking their halls, you’ll most likely be facing a low competition market for your home-buying experience.

This post was provided to us by Jessica Manfre at Caliber Home Loans. As a military family, you need home loans specific to your needs. You deserve a trusted home loan company that is committed to serving you. MilHousing Network is proud to partner with Caliber Home Loans, Inc. to bring military families mortgage options when buying a home. Contact them today at 855-202-1124 or visit www.calibermilitarylending.com to learn how they can support your unique military lifestyle.