The holiday season is here, and it’s a great time to buy a home in San Diego County. So what are some of the smart tactics and practices San Diego home buyers can put into play to facilitate smooth real estate transactions and better deals?
It is a spectacular time to buy a home in sunny California. Besides real estate being one of the greatest gift ideas for the season, there are many perks of closing on a new home before the end of the year. So what smart moves can help San Diego holiday home shoppers better navigate the market at this time of year?
Get Prepared
It always pays to be prepared when shopping for a home, and even more so in today’s market. This begins with taking a few moments to really boil down what is most important in buying a new home in San Diego. How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? What features are critical to have, and not to have? What’s your budget?
Then, make sure everything is in order. Be sure to be armed with mortgage pre-approval letters or proof of funds letters if you’ll be paying cash, as well as being ready with all of the documentation your lender and closing agent will need to fund and complete the transaction.
Know Your Timeline
Timing is critical when trying to buy and close on a new home in San Diego at this time of year. It’s a fantastic time to buy a SoCal home. Between seasonal discounts and minimizing annual taxes, not to mention wowing your partner or family with an epic holiday gift, San Diego real estate is the way to go. However, it is a very busy time in the real estate industry, and there are many resulting constraints in trying to get paperwork processed and loans closed.
Recognize that California home loan processing timelines will be drawn out, appraisals can take longer, agents will be unavailable, and vacation breaks can delay all types of critical steps in real estate closings. So get a house locked down as quickly as possible and provide everything you need quickly.
Don’t Be Afraid to Follow Up
Going to extremes in hounding those involved for updates might be counterproductive. It could stop them for forwarding your San Diego home loan or paperwork to speak with you instead. However, when shopping for a home, don’t be timid about persistent follow up to show you are serious and get your offer in before competing home buyers.
Shop Deals
The end of the year holiday season can yield many deals for Southern California home buyers. In some cases, sellers might be panicking because other buyers are too busy gift shopping and celebrating. This can make them more willing to negotiate a quick sale. Realtors, mortgage brokers, and related real estate businesses can be extra motivated to secure sales to pump up their annual numbers. There may also be deals on services from Black Friday weekend. So try negotiating on all vendor services where possible. The savings could be significant.
Make Great Offers Fast
In San Diego’s sizzling real estate market, homebuyers should expect to make great offers year-round. It is even more important for those who need to move in before the new year arrives. Craft your strongest home purchase offers at this time of the year. Back them up with all the required paperwork, deposit checks, and perhaps even a personal letter or video to really connect with the seller so that your offer stands out from the stack.
Coordinate Smart House Moving Plans
It is important to note that this is a busy time for all real estate related businesses, including moving services and furniture delivery companies. Movers can be short staffed, the weather can be tricky, simultaneous transactions can be held up by poor planning, and moving-pains can mess with plans to celebrate the holidays in a new home. So book movers early, anticipate delays, have a plan B for somewhere to stay, and reduce your stress.
Consider Small Holiday Gifts That Can Have a Big Impact
Small gifts might buy San Diego home buyers a lot of help at this time of year. Real estate is a people business. Professionals are busy and distracted, and most have dozens, if not hundreds, of clients just like you scrambling to get real estate deals closed before the end of the year. A small gift gesture might just help your transaction stand out in the pile to loan underwriters, transaction coordinators, San Diego Realtors, and might even win you some points with the seller.
