Debunking the Listing on Boxing Day Myth

Debunking the Listing on Boxing Day Myth

As the holiday season approaches, potential property sellers often encounter a common suggestion: "List your property on December 26th for maximum exposure.”

Whilst it is true that traffic to Rightmove and Zoopla normally hits a peak on this day, it is far from the best time to list.

Between Christmas and New Year, buyers are busy spending time with family and friends, celebrating the festive season and don’t actually book viewings. On the other hand, vendors don’t want to be showing multiple buyers round their home between Christmas and New Year. Into the New Year, the same buyers that have been searching Rightmove on Boxing day, are focused on getting their children back to school and returning to work themselves. Once this has happened, they are finally ready to start viewing houses. So there you have it, 2 whole weeks since Boxing Day before they are ready to view. In the meantime, you’ve listed your property on Boxing Day and it’s already 2 weeks old with no viewers yet, whilst new property is coming on the market looking fresher, buyers forget about your home, they viewed online two weeks ago, and focus on the new instructions coming on each day.

The Optimal Timing for Listing

Contrary to the popular myth, listing your property on Boxing Day exposes it during one of the quietest times of the year for viewings. The first two weeks of marketing a property are deemed the most crucial, significantly influencing success rates and achievable prices. Sellers are advised to exercise patience and wait for a more opportune moment.

For those with family homes, strategically timing the listing is even more critical. Waiting for schools to resume and aiming for a listing in the second week of January can enhance the property's visibility and attract a more engaged pool of potential buyers.

Conclusion

In summary, the December myth of listing your property for maximum exposure on the day after Christmas is debunked. Sellers should resist the pressure from agents solely focused on driving their market share statistics and instead prioritize strategic timing for listings. By waiting for optimal market conditions, particularly in the early weeks of the new year, sellers can enhance their chances of a successful and lucrative property transaction. Why not go one step further and instruct an agent that puts their clients’ needs before those of its own, instruct us at Halliwell Marks and you can be sure the advice we give you is truly in your best interests.