Why Buy a Property in Winter

Seasonality will play an important role in the purchase of your future property.

Have you planned your flat search for this summer in the hope of getting a good deal during the warm season? What if you change your strategy to become a homeowner in winter?

If you're wondering when is the best time to buy a house or flat in Luxembourg, we'll help you find out.

Real estate trend: buying your home in winter

If you're still not convinced, here are three real reasons to buy a property in winter.

1. Buying property in winter for less competition

The peak season for real estate agents is between March and September. At the end of the cold season, prospective buyers start looking for the perfect property to move into during their July/August holidays.

To stand out, it is therefore advisable to think of a different strategy and attack the market when most people will wait for the good weather to do so.

You will be the first to visit and position yourself on the most appealing properties, but you will also be able to negotiate more easily because the offer will be higher than the demand.

2. A lower price per square metre

Like you, owners know that selling their house in summer is more advantageous in terms of price. They will therefore naturally offer it during the months that will allow them to make an interesting profit. If a property is for sale in winter, it is because an emergency situation forces the owners to sell it quickly. This may be due to a job transfer or a hasty move.

It may also be the case that the property is not selling well. If the property did not find a buyer during the busy summer months, it is easy to imagine that the property is having great difficulty selling.

In both cases, a significant drop in the price per square metre is usually observed. And your negotiating skills will also be key, as buying in winter gives you a significant advantage that you will have to use.

3. A real estate agency focused on your needs

Even if the property market remains very tense and buyers stay alert, visits do not accumulate as much as in the summer period.

It is therefore certain that if your agency has more time to look for your future home, you will maximise your chances of finding a property. In winter, the number of buyers being reduced compared to the good weather period, you will be able to benefit from a personalized accompaniment to invest in the property of your dreams and avoid the errors related to a hasty purchase. “In fact, if deeds tend to be more often signed during the last quarter, buyers prefer to visit when the weather is bright. There is a real seasonality,” explains Jean-Paul Scheuren, President of the Chambre Immobilière.

Real estate agents will also be working more to make up for the shortfall in income during the winter period. The result: better targeted visits, more in-depth negotiations and a property transaction that is concluded more quickly.

Buying in winter to spot hidden defects

Dampness, water infiltration, defects... What better time than winter to spot possible hidden defects? It is the fear of every new buyer that he or she will not detect the hidden problems inside and outside the house in time. While it is easy to hide undesirable things when the weather is good, in winter it is much more difficult to do so because of the cold, the rain and other bad weather events.

The best time to buy a property seems to be in winter. From negotiating to choosing the most attractive properties, buying a house or flat in winter could save you time and money.