Listing your home for sale in the White Mtns. of NH in the winter…. Hmmm… WHITE Mountains…
Some of the items I list are true of listing property for sale anywhere but some are exceptionally true of homes in the North Conway NH area (Bartlett NH, Jackson NH, Bretton Woods NH, Albany NH, Chatham NH, Fryeburg ME, Bridgton ME and surrounding areas) because of the seasonal activities we enjoy here in the Mt. Washington Valley and the atmosphere surrounding those activities.
1. Winter buyers are more serious. Let’s be real, it is not the easiest thing to do so buyers looking at real estate for sale when it is cold out and there is snow on the ground are looking because they really want to find a reason to buy.
2. Less competition. The superstition regarding of listing homes for sale in the spring and early summer creates an annual increase in inventory. In other words, increased supply in the supply and demand balance.
*This brings credence to #3….
3. More advertising. Inventory goes down and therefore there are fewer properties to spread around the broker’s advertising dollar.
4. Holidays. Holidays create a sense of fun around buying things. Homes, especially ski country vacation homes, look great during the holidays. The fun feel of holiday decorations can carry over into the sense of fun of owning a home in the mountains.
5. Agents will put more attention into bringing buyers to your home and will generally feel less hurried because the have fewer clients to juggle.
6. Timing. January is the biggest month for corporate transfers and relocations. Having your home on the market when this group of buyers are actively looking increases your chances for a sale.
7. Taxes. Many people are looking to invest before the tax year ends. many North Conway NH area vacation homes are also considered to be investment properties. Investing before the end of the year is often a goal of vacation home buyers.
8. Vacation days. Many buyers have some time off that they need to use before the end of the year so they don’t lose the days with their employer. These folks get out and look at the smaller inventory and have time to devote to finding a home.
9. More Boomers. Grandkids are back in school. Hotels are quieter. Many baby boomers wait until the “off season” to get out and start looking in places like North Conway NH because they can enjoy the quiet time in the valley.
10. The market. No one knows when rates will go up but it is pretty clear that they can’t go down (much further or longer). Waiting until next spring, when inventory has increased and buying power could be severely undermined by even a 1% increase in rates could be a decision that costs a home owner not just thousands of dollars but possibly even tens of thousands.
Every month of every year dozens of properties sell in my marketplace here in the White Mountains of NH. The belief that there is a perfect season to sell is a myth that is busted year in and year out. Only in an improving market can I cite any cases where it obviously paid off to wait sell. In my 15 years of being a real estate professional that was only during a 3 – 4 year time span in the early 2000s. The time to sell is when you are ready to sell.
There are numerous media sources reporting the advantages and disadvantages of homeownership. Every expert (from international money managers who have hundreds of billions of dollars of assets under management to local and national real estate experts) has chimed in on the subject. The bottom line is that the percentage of folks that own a home is going down.
Zillow just reported that their data shows nearly 16 million homes in this country are now in a negative equity position where the house is worth less than the mortgages on the home. This number is dramatically higher than the approximate 11 million reported by other entities. Why the huge difference? Zillow professes to take into consideration ALL loans on the property not just the most recent loan (purchase or refinance).
We believe the housing market is recovering. We believe that sales will be robust through the rest of the year. However, we also believe that the increase in demand will not impact prices in a big way as we think there will also be an increase in the supply of homes coming to the market. This increase in supply will offset the increase in demand. The increase in supply will be fueled by two categories of inventory:
This week, we have spoken about the importance of using an agent trained in the short sale process when selling or buying a home as a short sale. Today, we want to address how to identify those agents who are truly qualified. There are many local instructors who have done excellent work in this field. We appreciate their dedication and commitment. However, there are three designations recognized on a national basis. Here they are:
A key component to the success of a short sale involves working with a Mortgage Originator who is well versed in the short sale process. The short sale negotiation process is a patience testing task. The complications are many, however if the buyer is securing mortgage financing and is working with an originator that understands that short sale process the buyer and seller can be rest assured, in most circumstances, that the transaction will get to the closing table.
It seems that the banks have finally realized that a short sale is a better option than foreclosure for them, the homeowner and the neighborhood. It is for this reason we believe that 2012 will come to be known as the year of the short sale. CNN Money 
We often discuss the difference between 
