People often ask our real estate agents if they should wait until springtime to start looking for a new home. After all, the cold weather, blustery winds, and short days don't exactly create a welcoming environment for home shopping.

While the thought of trudging through the snow to go to open houses may not be appealing, there are several compelling reasons why winter is the absolute best time to find your dream home. Consider these points, and you just may decide that you're ready to start looking today.

1. Sellers Are More Motivated
   Some sellers decide to take their home off the market in the wintertime. Others will hold off on listing their homes until the weather warms up. Although this means there's less inventory, it's also likely that the sellers who remain are very motivated. This often results in lower asking prices and a greater willingness to negotiate on the price, sales terms, closing date, and more.
   
   
2. You'll Face Less Competition
   In this market, it's common for home buyers to find themselves in the middle of a bidding war. With fewer people looking for homes in the winter, you're less likely to have to compete with other offers. This minimizes the chances that you'll go through the emotional trauma of having your dream home taken out from under you. It also gives you and yourrealtor the upper hand when negotiating with sellers.
   
   
3. Everyone Has More Time
   In the middle of winter, most professionals in the real estate industry are not as busy as they are in peak season. This means your real estate agent may have plenty of time to show you as many houses as you want.
   
   Once you've made an offer, it's more likely that your lender, mortgage broker, home inspector, and title company can work together to facilitate a fast and easy closing.

4. You'll Get a More Honest View of the Home
   Every home looks more welcoming when the sun is shining and the grass is green. By shopping for your home in the dead of winter, you'll get a more honest look at what it will be like living there year-round. You'll also have a better chance of catching problems like poor insulation, spotty heating, or heat dams.
   
   
5. Economic Factors are in Your Favor
   This winter may offer excellent economic conditions for buying a home. Home prices are expected to continue rising in 2019, and mortgage rates are predicted to reach 5.5 percent by the end of the year. These increases will result in you having to make higher monthly payments for the next 15 to 30 years. Considering these factors, it's clear that there's no time like the present to find a new home and close the deal.

If you're ready to take advantage of this wintertime home-buying opportunity, we are here to help. Contact us today so we can show you some of the great homes for sale currently available in our Northern New England real estate market.