For the vast majority of America, the conventional wisdom is that it’s a bad idea to attempt to sell your home in the winter. Buyers don’t want to trudge around in inclement weather, the holidays make it difficult to pack and move, and families with children hesitate to disrupt their school year.

But Park City, Utah, isn’t like the majority of America. And though Park City is a year-round resort area, it is known primarily as a winter playground. So winter happens to be a good time to sell a home in Park City and surrounding areas.

Housing Trends In Utah

The last two years have seen Utah’s housing market supercharged by historically low-interest rates and low unemployment rates. Bankrate.com ranked Utah the nation’s #1 housing market due to the intense and excellent pace of job growth, low unemployment, low mortgage rates delinquencies, and low taxes

Demand for single-family homes in Park City–and all of Utah–remains hot. There are not enough houses to meet the needs of the market. So, finding a dream house in this market is challenging for buyers, making it quite competitive. Many people from California, New York, and Texas are relocating to Utah, putting a sufficient supply of homes out of reach. All of this to say, there are plenty of buyers, especially in Park City, to sell your home this winter. In fact, January is the busiest month in Park City, with skiers and Sundance Film Festival fans flocking into town. If you have a home you’d like to sell; there will be plenty of foot traffic.

So, is Selling Your Home in The Winter A Good Idea?

If you live in or near, Park City the answer is YES. It’s an excellent time to sell your home. The expectation is that the real estate market will remain healthy and vibrant through 2022, including the typically slower winter months.

Before you decide to list your home, you need to think about the pros and cons.

Pros To Selling In Winter

• Less competition– More opportunity for sellers since fewer houses are listed during the winter. Your home will stand out more.
• Faster transactions– With fewer houses being sold during the winter months, loan approvals, home inspections, and closings can be swifter.
• Highlight energy/fuel efficiency– Winter is a great time to showcase the energy and fuel efficiency of a home. You can showcase a beautiful fireplace, thermal windows, and any other devices used to keep your home warm and inviting.
• More serious buyers– Cold weather will keep casual real estate shoppers at home. The buyers and agents working hard during the winter are the ones who are serious about purchasing.
• More attentive realtors– Realtors are a little slower from December to February, so they will have more time to spend marketing your home to serious buyers.

Cons To Selling In The Winter

• Weather can be a problem– Shorter days and troublesome winter weather can make it tougher to get buyers out to see your home.
• Leaving home for showings can be more difficult– The cold weather makes it more difficult to just run out to a park to kill time during showings. You have to have a comfortable destination in mind before leaving for an hour.
• Less curb appeal– Piles of dirty snow or ice-melting salt stains on the sidewalk and driveway don’t make for the most attractive curb appeal. Also, dormant leafless trees aren’t as inspiring. It will be challenging to keep your exterior staged and inviting.

Selling Your Home This Winter

At the end of the day, the decision on when to sell your home should be based on your lifestyle and needs, not on the season, especially in Park City. Homes sell well all year, even in the winter. More important than the season is who you decide to help you.

Any realtor can list your home, but it takes an expert rooted in the community with the connections to market and sell your home effectively and quickly for the most money possible. If you have a home in or near Park City that you’re considering selling this winter (or in any season), let Jensen and Company help you make it a smooth transaction!