Navigating the POST-Election Season: A Real Estate Perspective
Do you know what almost everyone in America was waiting on until the first week in November? The election. Whether it’s jobs, buying a new car, making big life decisions, or purchasing or selling a home, so many people put their plans on hold until the election is over. It’s as though the entire country is frozen in place, holding its breath, waiting to see what happens next.
Until the election is over, the perceived “uncertainty” makes it hard for buyers and sellers alike to move forward with confidence. People are distracted, hesitant, and unsure of what their world might look like beyond the first Tuesday in November. As a result, consumer confidence tends to dip in the weeks and months before, and this can especially affect the real estate market. Sellers are hesitant to list, and buyers are hesitant to make offers because they just don’t know what’s coming.
But here’s the good news: no matter what happens, the day after the election, the world unfreezes, molecule by molecule, drop by drop. Life moves forward, and the real estate market picks up again. This is where opportunity comes in for both buyers and sellers.
What Happens After Election Day
Right now, in Q4 of 2024, there are a lot of homes on the market, but many of them aren’t getting showings or offers. Sellers who have priced their homes correctly and made them look fantastic, are banging their heads against the wall, wondering, Why isn’t my home selling? The truth is, it was the election. Buyers were simply too distracted to make decisions, and this should change once the election is over.
Now the we are past November 5th, we a few solid weeks before the holiday season kicks in. Thanksgiving falls late this year, which gives us most of November to work with. This means there’s still time to get your home listed, shown, and sold before the end of the year.
If you want to list your home and get it under contract before the holiday rush, anytime before Thanksgiving is the perfect time to go live on the market in order to close out 2023 with a bang. We’ll have time to get your listing prep completed, all your marketing up and running full speed, attract interest from buyers, and potentially have offers rolling in.
The January 1st Strategy
Now, let’s talk about Option 2—January 1st. This might sound crazy, but listing your home on January 1st is one of the best strategies in real estate. Here’s why: most listings in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) expire on December 31st. Agents typically set their listings to expire at the end of the year, which means by the morning of January 1st, many of those older, stale listings will be gone.
Buyers, however, don’t take a break. On New Year’s Day, people wake up ready to act on their New Year’s resolutions, including buying a home. After spending the holidays with family, discussing down payments and plans, they’re ready to hit the ground running. And when they open Zillow on January 1st, if your home is listed, it’s going to be one of the few fresh options available.
We’ve seen it happen every single year—homes that are listed on January 1st get immediate attention, and by that afternoon, we’ve got buyers lined up. If your property looks great and is priced right, you’re going to stand out, and it’s going to get momentum fast.
In Conclusion
Whether you choose to list your home in early November or hold off until January 1st, both strategies can work in your favor. Listing in November gives you the advantage of selling before the holidays, while a January 1st listing ensures you’ll stand out in a less crowded market, just as buyers are starting to get serious.
Remember, the election may have caused hesitation, but now that it’s over, the real estate market will move forward again. So, take advantage of the timing, and let’s get your home sold.
If you’re considering listing your home soon, reach out to us here and let’s get started.
