Real Estate Talk:
Holidays pros and cons

The challenges and opportunities of buying and selling during the holidays

By Joseph Marovitch

November 27, 2025

Happy holiday all. The holidays are a well-deserved break for most of us. These are times when people celebrate at home, drink, eat, and rejuvenate. Holidays are also a time when the audience of buyers and sellers slows down.

This is a time that presents both challenges and opportunities. The challenges are a smaller buyer audience and limited access to service providers. If there are inspectors, mortgage brokers, and notaries willing to work during the holidays, they may charge a premium for their availability. If a seller can wait until after the holidays, they can accept a promise to purchase, but must extend the deadlines beyond the standard times so they can meet the conditions and complete the sale in the new year. This reduces pressure for everyone and can save money.

However, the buyers who are still searching and arranging visits are highly motivated. If a seller is inclined to allow visits during this time, they may very well sell. There is less competition for buyers, and sellers who wish to sell sooner rather than later will have the chance to do so. Both the buyer and seller usually derive better terms that are agreeable to both parties, and the benefit of peace of mind knowing they have accepted offers. There is also the excitement of knowing the selling process is almost over, and all that is left is to proceed with conditions after the holidays.

The buyers who are still searching and arranging visits are highly motivated. If a seller is inclined to allow visits during this time, they may very well sell.

If property is off market for the holidays or visits are postponed until the new year, the broker may pause open houses and visits, but the seller has an excellent opportunity to host family, friends, and associates in their home during this time and showcase the property. By leaving the for-sale sign out front, you create an opportunity for conversations about the property and the sale.

However, this means that during parties, dinners, and daytime visits, the house must be as appealing as possible to visitors so that they are impressed and want to talk to friends, family, and neighbours about the property. This type of marketing allows for a more genuine experience for potential buyers and those who can talk up the property to potential buyers, with a warm feeling of acceptance, a beautiful ambiance, delightful scents of the fireplace, baked cookies, dinner, stimulating conversation, plenty of laughter, and a pleasant feeling of the holidays.

There is effort involved in keeping the house tidy and organized. The seller must also be strategic in the way the property is presented. The smell of certain odours, such as fish, cigar smoke or stale beer, can leave a negative impression, and that is all it takes to turn potential buyers off.

However, there is no better way to sell than to provide a personal, warm and friendly environment to potential buyers.

Whatever you do, have a wonderful holiday experience, and if you have young children and are not in a rush, their needs come first. In which case, avoid any unnecessary stress and hold off until the new year.

The information in these articles is summary. Should you have questions, comments or wish to discuss further, please refer to the comments section at the bottom of the page or contact me directly. As well, to view past articles, click here.

State of the market

There is usually a slowdown during the holidays as people travel or prepare for relatives’ visits. There are also fewer services available for inspectors, mortgage brokers, surveyors, contractors and notaries.

However, the current sentiment appears optimistic, as interest rates remain low and global affairs seem to be tapering off. The tariff conflict, to many Canadians, is not as dire as it was in 2024. Efforts are being made to resolve the Middle East and the Ukraine/Russia war. The constant division and stress created by U.S. politics may reduce, and I say this with caution because there always seem to be hiccups in politics.

‘If conditions were to improve, spending would increase, causing inflation and higher interest rates, but, in this scenario, as the economy improves, so do household incomes.’

The future of issues, inflation, and interest rates remains unclear, but many indicators point to a positive outlook. Note that if issues were to worsen, this would be a reason for interest rates, inflation, and carrying costs to rise. In a negative economy or a recession, household incomes do not increase. Instead, debt is what grows.

If all these conditions were to improve, spending would increase, causing inflation and higher interest rates, but, in this scenario, as the economy improves, so do household incomes. This means if a buyer purchases now, they can acquire a low interest rate and have increased income to cover all carrying costs.

For further discussion, leave a comment or call me directly.

Have a great week and happy holidays

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Other articles by Joseph Marovitch