blog christmas gifts wrapped in gold

December is always a busy real estate month for me.  I receive the typical end of the year flurry of calls from buyers who are searching for an income property to add to their real estate portfolio or even a new primary residence.  Whether they had their pre-tax appointment with their accountant or decided it was time to upsize or downsize, the end month of December is decision time for many buyers.

Although the holidays are often referred to as “the most beautiful time of the year” they can also be the busiest time of the year for sellers, buyers, and their agents.  Sellers who are anxious to receive an offer may make a price reduction, and buyers who have a few extra days off work may be eager to tour houses for sale.

If your home is for sale, make sure it is available to show during the holidays.  I know people purchase homes during the holidays because that’s when I bought a house in Rancho Palos Verdes. I often work Christmas Eve day and December 26.  The real estate market does not close up shop for the holidays, but time is running out if you plan to purchase a property before the end of the year.  If time slipped away and you missed out on buying an income property or new primary residence in 2016, it’s not too early to begin planning for 2017.

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Are properties on sale?  No, not in the typical sense, but buyers can determine a seller’s motivation by reviewing the current asking price compared to recent sales in the area, and whether the property is easily accessible during the holidays.  Are there markdowns?  You bet.  Our Multiple Listing Service denotes price reductions by a red, downward pointing arrow.  There are more and more popping up in the daily update report as 2016 comes to a close.

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The end of the year certainly provides real estate opportunities for investors and home buyers. Contact us at Charlemagne Int’l Properties if you would like to take advantage of the real estate 2016 closeout inventory sale.  310.493.8333.