According to popular home-buying search engine, Rightmove, Boxing Day sees a huge spike in website traffic, with numbers continuing to rise throughout January.
Last year, the site saw 27 per cent more traffic in January than in December.
Emma Collishaw, Branch Manager for Haart Estate Agency in Nottingham city centre thinks there are a few reasons why we take to house-hunting straight after Christmas.
“For many people, it’s the realisation that they’ve just outgrown their home,” she says.
“We tend to spend more time at home over the festive period, and more time on the internet too.
“In addition, there’s something about the New Year that just speeds up plans and gets people thinking about their next step.”
Planning to sell your home? Emma’s got a few tips for those negotiating the housing market in January.
- No tinsel
It’s important that your photos reflect the season, so make sure there are no Christmas decorations in your pics.
Get your agent to take new photos! Finding an agent that offers professional photography is worth its weight in gold.
Warm up
It might sound simple, but a warm, inviting home is really important.
It helps the potential buyer to imagine themselves living there.
- Don’t forget the garden
It might be Jan, but people are already looking forward the summer weather.
Give them a taste of what summer in the garden could be like.
- De-clutter
Most of us have a house full of clutter just after Christmas, but it’s a sure-fire way to put potential buyers off.
Pack stuff away in the loft and get the boxes off to the recycling centre.
- Time for a change?
If your house has been on the market for over 20 weeks without an offer, it might be time to change your agent.
Have a look around, talk to friends and family – make sure you go with an agent you trust.
