Holiday Home Selling: Why November and December Might Be Your Secret Weapon

By Susan Seiber, East Valley Real Estate Expert

I need to tell you something that might sound a little crazy: some of my most successful home sales happen in November and December. I know, I know—everyone says you should never try to sell during the holidays. "Wait until spring," they say. "No one looks at houses during the holidays."

But here's what I've learned after years of helping East Valley families: the buyers who are looking during the holidays are often the best buyers you'll ever find. They're serious, they're motivated, and they're ready to make decisions.

Let me share why holiday home selling might actually be your secret weapon—and how to do it right.

Quick Answer Summary

Is it good to sell a house during the holidays? Yes, holiday home selling offers unique advantages including motivated buyers, reduced competition, year-end tax benefits, and serious purchasers with genuine timelines. November and December can be highly successful selling months with proper strategy.

Who buys homes during November and December? Holiday buyers include corporate relocations, military families, newlyweds, growing families, empty nesters downsizing, investors, and second-home buyers. These are typically serious, qualified buyers with specific timelines.

How do you sell a house during the holidays? Success requires strategic pricing, festive but tasteful staging, flexible showing schedules, professional photography highlighting warmth, and understanding buyer motivations during holiday season.

The Truth About Holiday Home Buyers

First, let me bust the biggest myth about holiday home selling: that no one is looking. That's just not true. The people who are looking during the holidays are often the most motivated, qualified buyers you'll find all year.

Who's Actually Buying During the Holidays:

Corporate Relocations: These are my favorite holiday buyers. Someone gets a promotion or transfer that starts January 1st, and they need to find a home before then. They're pre-approved, they have relocation packages, and they need to make decisions quickly. No tire-kicking, no endless negotiations—just serious buyers ready to close.

Military Families: Military relocations don't stop for the holidays. I've helped several military families who had to move during November and December, and they're always great to work with. They know what they want, they're decisive, and they understand the importance of timelines.

Life Changes: Newlyweds who want to start the new year in their own home. Growing families who need more space before the baby arrives. Empty nesters who are finally ready to downsize after hosting one last big family holiday.

The Bottom Line: Holiday buyers aren't browsing for fun. They have real reasons for needing to move, which means they're serious about buying.

Why Holiday Selling Actually Works

Let me share some advantages of selling during the holidays that most people don't think about:

Less Competition: While everyone else is waiting until spring, your house is one of the few on the market. I've seen buyers choose homes in December that they might have passed over in May simply because there were fewer options to compare.

Motivated Buyers: People looking during the holidays have deadlines. They can't wait until spring because they need to move for work, or they want to be settled before the new year, or they have some other time-sensitive reason. Motivated buyers make decisions faster and negotiate less.

Year-End Tax Benefits: Some buyers are motivated by tax considerations—either they want to close before the end of the year for tax purposes, or they're using year-end bonuses for down payments.

Emotional Connection: There's something special about seeing a home decorated for the holidays. It helps buyers envision their own family celebrations and creates an emotional connection that can lead to offers.

The Holiday Selling Strategy

If you're going to sell during the holidays, you need to do it right. Here's my proven strategy:

Pricing Strategy: Price it right from the start. Holiday buyers are serious, but they're not stupid. They know what homes are worth, and they won't overpay just because it's December. But if you price it fairly, they'll pay fair market value without trying to negotiate you down to nothing.

Staging for the Holidays: This is where the magic happens. You want your home to feel warm and welcoming, but not so personal that buyers can't envision themselves there. Think tasteful holiday touches, not full-blown Christmas explosion.

Flexible Showing Schedule: Holiday buyers often have limited time—maybe they're in town for just a weekend to look at houses. Be flexible with showings, even if it means showing on weekends or evenings.

Professional Photography: Your listing photos need to capture the warmth and appeal of your home during the holidays. Good photography can make your home stand out in a smaller market.

How to Stage Your Home for Holiday Selling

Let me give you some specific staging advice that works:

Keep It Tasteful: A few tasteful decorations can make your home feel warm and inviting. Think garland on the mantle, a beautiful wreath on the front door, maybe some white lights. Avoid anything too personal or religious that might alienate potential buyers.

Focus on Warmth: Use warm lighting, cozy throws, and seasonal touches that make the house feel like a home. The goal is to help buyers imagine their own family celebrations there.

Don't Overwhelm: Your Christmas tree shouldn't take up half the living room. Your decorations shouldn't hide the beautiful features of your home. The house should still be the star, not the decorations.

Maintain Functionality: Make sure all the rooms are still functional and that buyers can see the space clearly. Don't let decorations block traffic flow or hide important features.

Curb Appeal Matters: A few tasteful outdoor decorations can make your home stand out and feel welcoming. But keep it simple and elegant.

Real Success Stories from Holiday Sales

Let me share a couple of examples of successful holiday sales I've handled:

The Corporate Relocation: Last December, I listed a beautiful home in Gilbert for a family who was relocating to California. We had it under contract within two weeks to a buyer who was transferring here from Chicago and needed to be moved in by January 15th. The buyer paid full asking price because the home was exactly what they needed, and there weren't many options on the market.

The Growing Family: I helped a young couple sell their starter home in Chandler right before Thanksgiving. They were expecting their second child and needed to move to a bigger house before the baby arrived. We found them a buyer who was also expecting a baby and wanted to be settled in their new home before their little one arrived in February. Both families got exactly what they needed.

The Empty Nesters: A couple in Mesa decided to downsize after their kids moved out. They listed their large family home in November, and we found them a buyer who was a growing family that needed exactly what they were selling—a big house with a pool and room for kids to play. It was a perfect match.

Overcoming Holiday Selling Challenges

Yes, there are some challenges to selling during the holidays, but they're all manageable:

Showing Scheduling: People are busy during the holidays, but serious buyers will make time. Be flexible and accommodating with showing times.

Distracted Buyers: Some buyers might be distracted by holiday activities, but the serious ones will focus on what they need to do.

Closing Timeline: Some lenders and title companies have limited schedules around the holidays, so plan accordingly and communicate with all parties about timelines.

Weather Considerations: In Arizona, this is actually an advantage—our November and December weather is perfect for home tours and moving.

When Holiday Selling Makes Sense

Holiday selling isn't right for everyone, but it's perfect in certain situations:

You Need to Move: If you have a job relocation, life change, or other reason you need to sell quickly, don't wait until spring.

Your Home is Move-In Ready: Holiday buyers often need to move quickly, so your home should be in excellent condition and ready for immediate occupancy.

You're Flexible: If you can be flexible with showings and timelines, you'll have an advantage with holiday buyers.

You Want Less Competition: If your home might get lost in the spring market, selling during the holidays when there's less inventory can help you stand out.

The Financial Benefits

There are some real financial advantages to holiday selling:

Less Price Competition: With fewer homes on the market, you're less likely to get into pricing wars with other sellers.

Motivated Buyers: Buyers with deadlines are less likely to try to negotiate your price down significantly.

Year-End Tax Benefits: Both buyers and sellers can benefit from closing before the end of the year for tax purposes.

Faster Sales: Holiday sales often happen faster, which means less time paying mortgage, utilities, and maintenance on a home you're trying to sell.

My Holiday Selling Checklist

If you're thinking about selling during the holidays, here's my checklist:

Before Listing:

•Price competitively based on current market conditions

•Stage tastefully with holiday touches

•Ensure home is in excellent, move-in ready condition

•Plan for flexible showing schedule

•Coordinate with photographer for holiday-themed listing photos

During Marketing:

•Highlight the benefits of holiday move-in

•Target corporate relocation and military buyers

•Be responsive to showing requests

•Maintain decorations and staging throughout the season

For Showings:

•Keep the house warm and welcoming

•Ensure good lighting for evening showings

•Have holiday music playing softly

•Keep decorations fresh and tasteful

The Bottom Line on Holiday Selling

Don't let conventional wisdom keep you from considering a holiday sale. If you have a reason to sell and your home is ready, November and December can be excellent months to get your house sold.

The Holiday Advantage:

•Serious, motivated buyers

•Less competition from other sellers

•Faster decision-making and closing timelines

•Emotional appeal of holiday staging

The Reality Check: Holiday selling requires the right strategy, realistic pricing, and flexibility. But when done right, it can be incredibly successful.

My Advice: If you're thinking about selling and you have a reason to do it now, don't wait. The right buyer might be looking for exactly what you're selling, and they might be looking right now.

Ready to Explore Holiday Selling?

If you're considering selling your East Valley home during the holidays, I'd love to help you evaluate whether it's the right strategy for your situation. I know how to market homes effectively during the holiday season and connect with the motivated buyers who are looking.

How I Help Holiday Sellers:

•Strategic pricing for holiday market conditions

•Professional staging advice for festive appeal

•Targeted marketing to motivated buyer segments

•Flexible showing coordination around holiday schedules

•Expert negotiation with serious, timeline-driven buyers

Why Holiday Selling Can Work:

•The right buyers are looking right now

•Less competition means more attention for your home

•Motivated buyers make decisions faster

•Holiday staging creates emotional connection

Ready to see if holiday selling is right for your situation? Let's talk about your goals and timeline.

Visit CactusLivingAZ.com or follow me on Instagram @gilbertrealestateagent for more East Valley real estate insights and market updates.

Because sometimes the best time to sell is when everyone else thinks you shouldn't.