The catch line of the New York State Lottery could well be the catch phrase for home sellers at this traditionally slow time of year to be selling your home. However, traditional thinking has been turned upside down when it comes to real estate. “This year, we’re anticipating sales will peak earlier,” says Nicole Hall, editor in chief of Lendingtree.com told Francesca Levy of Forbes Magazine. “The best time to get your house on the market will be February or early March, and maybe even earlier if you want to avoid competition.” What a strange place the real estate market has become, what used to be a no-no is now a must-do.

In times gone by nobody but the desperate tried to sell a home in the winter. Now, most are saying that’s exactly what you should consider. The reason is that the $8,000 first-time buyers’ tax credit and $6,500 incentive for existing homeowners will expire April 30.

Proponents and critics of the tax credit both agree that the program has increased the number of sales and even pushed prices up modestly. But the free fall home sales took during the lag time between when the credit was extended and expanded after the original Nov. 30 deadline has both sides concerned about the market's reaction when the government programs end. Personally, I think there’s a good chance the government will extend the credit again if it thinks removing the incentive will cause real estate to plunge once again. The sales results for November must have been a deep cause for concern in the Obama Administration.

The original plan was to have the tax credit get the housing market over the winter hump and create momentum heading into spring and summer, which traditionally are the biggest seasons for home sales. However, I can’t see the program ending without at least some form of tapering unless the unemployment rate shows significant improvement by the end of the first quarter.

Until then, expect to see warmer sales in these cold winter months. Good news for sellers. "Hey you never know!"

Want more information about marketing your home to sell?

Contact Vanessa Saunders for a private consultation.845-598-5083