Market Analysis
MISSOULA MARKET REVIEW
Dec. 20, 2011
Winter Home Sales: Bargains Abound
Dec. 20, 2011
Winter Home Sales: Bargains Abound
An often heard comment from friends and clients is, “winter is a bad time to buy a home! There will be more homes on the market in the spring!”
Let’s look objectively at this notion. There is some truth in the statement. If history is any guide, there will be more homes on the market for sale in the spring versus during the winter months, November through March or even later in Montana. Many home sellers don’t want to have their homes on the market during the Holidays when they will have company or perhaps be out of town. If there is work (painting, new carpet, etc.) that the home needs, sellers tend to feel overwhelmed and want to use the Holidays and winter months to work on the “Honey Do” list. Plus, and rightfully so, they think, “My yard looks so drab right now. It’ll look so much better in the spring when I plant my flower beds and everything is blooming.”
Given this thought process, who is selling their home during the Holidays? Banks (foreclosures), home builders and motivated sellers are. Now, if you’re a home buyer, who is going to be most negotiable, giving you the best chance to get a “deal”? Banks and other motivated sellers will. Home builders are almost always more motivated and, therefore, negotiable at year-end.
And remember the seller thinking that his/her yard looks drab? When searching for a home in the winter, you’ll see yards at their worst. So, when you look out over the back yard from a home’s patio or deck, you’ll see the worst view of the year. You may see into your neighbor’s yard now whereas in the spring or summer, the yard may be screened by trees.
Why is this important? Certain homes are best evaluated in the winter months. If a home backs to a busy road or parking lot, you’ll want to know how well screened your home is from the road or lot - and how noisy it is. Thick trees can buffer noise in the summer months but may not buffer as well in the winter. Or, what looks like a lovely wooded and private back yard in the summer could actually become a not so lovely view of a retention pond come winter.
One last but important consideration - if you must have a home that gets plenty of sunlight, check out homes on a rainy or dreary day. If a home is too dark then, unless there are heavy or closed drapes on the home’s windows, it will still be too dark for you once you move in.
So, while there may be fewer homes on the market the next few months, if you find a home you like right now, chances are the home is already well-priced and the seller will likely negotiate even more off the price. You’ll find that suffering through the cold weather of a winter home shopping trip pays off.
Diane Beck
2011 Missoula Organization of REALTORS® President
MISSOULA MARKET REVIEWDec. 12, 2011
Safety Tips for the Holiday Season
Holidays are a time of celebration and fun. However, they have the potential to be a time of increased accidents and incidents. To make your holiday season safe, read through the following safety tips.
Trees:
Trees:
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Purchase only artificial trees with a "Fire Resistant" label on them.
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Check live trees for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
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Place trees away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters. Keep them out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
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To keep your tree fresh and to help keep it from drying out and becoming a fire hazard, cut a few inches off the trunk of the tree to expose the fresh wood immediately before putting in water.
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Keep the live tree stand filled with water to keep tree from drying out, be aware that heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly.
Lighting and Decorations
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Use holiday decorations carefully and choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or noncombustible materials.
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Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
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Choose only lights and electrical decorations labeled with the name of an independent testing lab, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and maintenance.
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Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. Do not overload extension cords.
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Check your strands of lights to determine the number of strands that may be connected. Connect no more than three strands of push-in bulbs and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs.
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Always unplug lights before replacing light bulbs or fuses.
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Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples, not nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.
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Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
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In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid them from swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them.
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Never leave home or go to bed without turning off all light strings and decorations.
With just a small amount of effort we can all enjoy the magic of the holiday season while still ensuring the safety of loved ones. The Missoula Organization of REALTORS® would like to wish you a very safe and merry holiday season.
Diane Beck
2011 Missoula Organization of REALTORS® President
Diane Beck
2011 Missoula Organization of REALTORS® President