do homes sell during snowy winter season? (Price: for sale, new home) - Salt Lake City area - Utah (UT) -Salt Lake County - Davis County - Weber County - City-Data Forum

hueimo · 09-08-2008, 10:10 AM

do homes sell well during snowy winter season?
do people normally wait till spring to make an offer and then move in to avoid the snowy season?

kaytidid · 09-08-2008, 10:13 AM

I think that people think they can get better deals during the winter. Maybe that is true. We bought our first place in Utah during the winter. Moved in over the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was snowing that day. Any subsequent homes were purchased in the spring/summer. I didn't set out for it to be that way. It is just the way it happened.

hueimo · 09-08-2008, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaytidid

I think that people think they can get better deals during the winter. Maybe that is true. We bought our first place in Utah during the winter. Moved in over the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was snowing that day. Any subsequent homes were purchased in the spring/summer. I didn't set out for it to be that way. It is just the way it happened.

was it very difficult to move when it snowed? would you prefer to move in when it didn't? thanks for helping.

SouthernBelleInUtah · 09-08-2008, 10:55 AM

For those who move b/c of a job transfer or a new baby, it doesn't matter what time of year it is, they have to move. As I am planning to move back east, I am taking my house off the market at the end of the month b/c I refuse to drive across the country in winter. However, I am retired and don't have to go, I just want to go.

For people who are moving to get into a better school, or a bigger house, or one with whatever, they generally do wait until Spring so the kids can go into the new school in Sept. It's also easier to go house-hunting when it isn't snowing!

DP525 · 09-08-2008, 11:03 AM

I sold a house once on a snowy day in March. It had been on the market for 11 nice, sunny spring days with no lookers. On the 12th day it was snowing hard and we got three separate lookers. The second ones bought the house that day. Go figure.

As a home buyer you will probably have more leverage during the winter months because the market slows down.

hueimo · 09-08-2008, 02:34 PM

do you all think that the home price are still gradually decreasing? per this link:
Home prices along the Wasatch Front

I think it's still better to stay put and wait a while and not buy if we can. I'm waiting for the 3rd quarter pricing report. I see brand NEW homes in the market that has not been sold for the past half a year or even more and homes for sale sign every where, almost at every corner of the street, do you think everyone is just holding off with their home purchase as of now? is my observation for the homes not being sold for so long in the market correct? I could be wrong.

DP525 · 09-08-2008, 02:54 PM

Interest rates are at 5.625%, home prices are down, it's a buyers market. It could get even better, but then it could get worse. Who can tell?

frogandtoad · 09-08-2008, 02:56 PM

Do you have a realtor? If not, you should get one. Homes in any market are more/less desirable based on location. Some areas are dead in this market; others are still not doing too badly. I've spoken with two realtors and done quite a bit of research. Prices are down and probably not at bottom yet, but again--some areas are WAY down, others not nearly as bad.

SouthernBelleInUtah · 09-08-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hueimo

do you all think that the home price are still gradually decreasing? per this link:
Home prices along the Wasatch Front

I think it's still better to stay put and wait a while and not buy if we can. I'm waiting for the 3rd quarter pricing report. I see brand NEW homes in the market that has not been sold for the past half a year or even more and homes for sale sign every where, almost at every corner of the street, do you think everyone is just holding off with their home purchase as of now? is my observation for the homes not being sold for so long in the market correct? I could be wrong.

Oh, that link leads to disgusting info! I should have tried to sell last year!

kwm03160 · 09-08-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hueimo

do homes sell well during snowy winter season?
do people normally wait till spring to make an offer and then move in to avoid the snowy season?

Homes do sell during the winter, but it's at a much slower rate. It's generally the best time to buy in terms of price.

I actually moved out on the hottest day of the year in July 2006, and moved into my new home on New Year's eve. Moving in July was much, much more miserable. The cold wasn't great, but I guess it wasn't that bad because there was no snow on the ground.