Christmas Present Or January Sales? When Is The Best Time To Buy Property?

There are just under eight weeks to go until Christmas – even less time until the frivolity of the holiday season is upon us. It’s a lively time of hectic personal, social and business commitments, followed by a period of relative down-time. So what if you’re in the market for a new home – should you buy before Christmas or put it off until next year?

Whether it’s gift-giving, taking a holiday or entertainment expenses, the festive period can put a strain on the budget. According to Credit and Charge Card Statistics reported monthly by the Reserve Bank, Australians owe more than $44.9 billion in credit card debt, and our credit card purchases in December are at least 15 per cent higher than the average monthly purchases throughout the rest of the year. With many economists predicting more than one interest rate rise in the next few months, house-hunters need to plan their finances very carefully.

But while it’s an expensive time of year, there’s also opportunity to snap up a pre-Christmas property bargain.

“It is a really good time for purchasers to be picking up a good buy, pre-Christmas,” says Georgi Coward, Real Estate Agent with Cunninghams Property. Coward explains that in December, homes on the market are those leftover from spring, which may not have been priced appropriately. “Vendors realise at this stage that it hasn’t sold and that they’ll now be waiting an extra, longer time.”

“A lot of buyers disappear as well, so there are just the really keen ones that are out there,” says Coward. “They’re often the ones that will pick up a bargain, as vendors are more negotiable, and there’s a little bit more desperation to sell, move on and enjoy Christmas.”

As for property values, there are indications that prices will only go up from here. “Overall we’re finding that buyers are very confident about the direction of the market and most agree that 2010 will see between five to ten per cent price growth across the board,” says John McGrath, CEO of McGrath Estate Agents. “Serious buyers have been looking to get set in the market for the last three months.”

McGrath says that interest rate rises will have an impact on anticipated price growth “only if we see a two per cent hike in the next nine months, which is unlikely.” He says, “Most buyers have factored in another one per cent in their thinking and are happy to buy with that in mind.”

But buying next year has its benefits too. “January can be a good time to be buying with leftover stock that hasn’t sold prior to Christmas,” says Coward. Holding off also gives you a little more financial breathing space over the holiday season, and the chance to pounce on the fresh New Year stock as it comes onto the market – while other buyers are taking holidays.

“There’s an opportunity that you can jump on it before anybody else, and before it hits the papers,” says Coward. “But you may end up paying a premium to take it off the market.”

If your home is, or will be on the market before you buy, these considerations apply to you as a vendor as well, not to mention the need to time both your transactions optimally. So, whether ‘tis the season for a sale or not, ultimately depends on your circumstances and needs. And your Christmas wish list.

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Mike Cormack
Aussie Home Loans Joondalup