Shopping for Real Estate During The Holidays

Shopping for Real Estate During The Holidays

Believe it or not, Shopping for real estate during the Holidays can be a good thing. There is a lot you can learn about a neighborhood during the Holidays.

Many HOAs and condo associations have restrictions on what types of decorations can be hung.  A simple drive through the community can let you see these restrictions for yourself.  And if you like to live in a place that cannot be seen from space during the Holidays, you'll get a good feel for the intensity of lighting allowed.  If the community you are interested in does not have a single light or lawn ornament, chances are the community restricts decorations in some way.  You can also see whether your own holiday decorating traditions would be appropriate for the neighborhood you are considering.

Holiday decorations usually reflect personal style.  In condominiums and Homeowners' Associations, they can reflect the community's style.  Again, a simple Holiday drive through can help you feel out if the community's style is a good match for your own.  If the displays on common areas are “tacky” in your opinion, you may find that the community is not a good match for your personal style. Conversely, if you love the feel of the community during the Holidays, you'll probably love the feeling the rest of the year too.

You can also gauge neighborhood safety during the holidays.  Are the decorations locked to the surrounding environment?  Are there packages sitting on doorsteps, and are those same packages still there when you circle a second time?  Or are there obvious “decoy packages,” left to deter theft of the real ones?  The presence or absence of these things can tell you a lot about how secure these types of items will be throughout the year.

Finally, you can learn a lot about the social aspects of a community during the holidays.  If you are looking for a more social community, be sure to check community bulletin boards and the Club House, if the community has one.  There you will find information about the scope and type of activities planned throughout the Holidays.  (You may also find reminders about what is and is not allowed.)  If the social aspects of community are important to you, these will be much easier to assess if you visit a community during the Holidays.

If you are looking for property, either as a primary residence, a second home, or as an investment, make it a priority to tour the community during the Holiday season, if at all possible.  You'll get a wealth of valuable information not available at any other time.

Here at the Law Offices of Heath D Harte, we wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season.  And if you visit our offices, we hope you will enjoy our simple Holiday style.  We have finished our observation of Hanukkah, and now, we are decking the halls for Christmas and Kwanza.  We wish all of our clients and readers a very Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.