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BlogArrowLandlording & Rental PropertiesArrow‘Tis the Season to Pick Up the Best Holiday Gift: A New Property
Landlording & Rental Properties

‘Tis the Season to Pick Up the Best Holiday Gift: A New Property

Dave Van Horn
Expertise: Business Management, Mortgages & Creative Financing, Landlording & Rental Properties, Real Estate Investing Basics, Personal Finance, Real Estate Deal Analysis & Advice, Commercial Real Estate, Personal Development, Real Estate News & Commentary
228 Articles Written
house in winter - heating system concept and cold snowy weather with model of a house wearing a knitted cap

Some of the best investors I know are in “ABB” (“always be buying”) mode. They’re always looking for good deals and always making offers (“’cause if you want to do more deals, make more offers”).

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But I have to admit that as my wife and I are looking at properties to potentially pick up, this is our favorite time of year to get a real estate deal. There’s something about the holidays—maybe it’s knowing that there’s a long, cold winter on the backside of all the festivities—that seems to slow the real estate market down in the Northeast where I live.

Winter Is Coming

For most people, after Thanksgiving, the focus is on the holidays and seeing family. Then, after Christmas and New Year’s, you’re in January, and Old Man Winter has a grip on you. Like the Starks at Winterfell, who know that “winter is coming,” even other investors seem to want to hole up and ride it out.

I like to zig when other people zag. This is why it’s my favorite time to head out and strike up a deal.

closeup of woman's lap with pastries on a plate and hot chocolate on the ground next to her wearing holiday slippers and searching on a tablet

Making a List, Checking It Twice: How to Get Ready to Buy

So, now that you know one of the best times of year to buy if you live somewhere that has a real winter—and you like the thought of picking up the best holiday gift of all (a new property)—my next question is, “Are you ready to buy?”

Related: 5 Ways the Holiday Season Reminds Me to Be a Better Entrepreneur

If you’re paying cash instead of using financing, do you have a private or hard money lender lined up and are you clear about their requirements? Alternately, do you have all the money saved up to buy the property, including closing costs?

If not and you’re using a traditional form of financing, have you sat down with a lender and reviewed all your financial numbers—and maybe even had your credit pulled to get pre-approved? Or if you need a cosigner for bank financing, have you done the work ahead of time to line everything up?

Be aware that if you’re financing a deal, now it’s much more complicated, as the bank will not only make you apply for a loan, but they’ll make you document and validate all the information you’ve given them. They’re basically looking for things that express financial stability, like W-2s, tax returns, several months’ bank statements, etc. They’ll want to verify all the information on your application, such as residency (for at least the last two years), as well as work history. This is why getting prequalified is so valuable in enabling you to move quickly when that deal drops into your lap.

Knowing Your Market

Getting prepared also means knowing the current real estate market. What are houses selling for? What are rents? Are they going up or down? What does market time look like (is it four months or six months on average)? You get the idea.

Row of residential houses in winter with snow

Related: How to Make Extra Cash for the Holidays by Renting Out Your House

Timeframe

What’s your timeframe like? Will your next purchase fit into you and your crew’s schedule? My buddy who does a lot of direct-to-seller marketing sometimes has so many deals that he ends up wholesaling some out due to the fact that he doesn’t have enough capacity to take on another project. In my opinion, there’s nothing worse than getting all the resources lined up, finding the deal, funding the deal, only to realize by the time you close that you’re too busy to work on the rehab.

Or worse yet, you might discover that by the time you do get around to doing the rehab and are ready to flip the property that the market shifted and your planned exit may not work. Getting good help in a timely manner, even if you have to pay a little more, can sometimes make or break what you once considered a good deal.

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So, whether you just found a quick paint and carpet turnover or a full gut job, how are you ready for your next deal? Do you consider the “slow” period between Thanksgiving and spring a good time to buy?

Leave a comment!

By Dave Van Horn
Since 2007, Dave Van Horn has served as president and CEO of PPR Note Co., a $150MM+ company managing funds that buy, sell, and hold residential mortgages nat...
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Since 2007, Dave Van Horn has served as president and CEO of PPR Note Co., a $150MM+ company managing funds that buy, sell, and hold residential mortgages nationwide. Dave’s expertise is derived from over 30 years of residential and commercial real estate experience as a licensed Realtor, real estate investor, and private lender. In addition to his investments and role at PPR, Dave’s biggest passion is teaching others how to share, build, and preserve wealth. He authored Real Estate Note Investing, an introduction to the note investing business, helping investors enter the “other side” of real estate.
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7 Replies
    John Murray from Portland, Oregon
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Great article Dave. I’m a BRRRR guy and refinance in October and buy in late November early December. All the properties I have researched for the past 6 months I close on the best possible deal. All are in the same zip code and get the best possible value. Come the beginning of the new year renters are out in force and the money rolls in. Happy Holidays!
    Dave Van Horn Fund Manager from Berwyn, PA
    Replied about 3 years ago
    That’s exactly the idea John! Happy Holidays!

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    Ty Little from Spring Lake, North Carolina
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Enjoyed the article and I could not agree more. I just have to make sure I’m not making a hasty decision because I want to make the deal. They are definitely out there. I have to be smart about it. Happy Holiday Hunting.
    Dave Van Horn Fund Manager from Berwyn, PA
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Definitely! Thanks for reading Ty!

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    Karen Rittenhouse Flipper/Rehabber from Greensboro, NC
    Replied about 3 years ago
    Winter is a great time to buy. Many investors and agents take this time of year to cut back on marketing and take time off. With fewer buyers in the market, sellers lower pricing. Winters has always been one of our favorite seasons to buy. Thanks for your post.

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    Nirav Desai
    Replied about 1 year ago
    What are the tax implications of buying (Closing) property in November-December vs. beginning of year? Is it wise to buy in November-December and close in January to get full tax benefits?

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    Roldan J Crespo Pabon Investor from Jacksonville, FL
    Replied about 1 year ago
    Thanks Dave, great write up that still relevant on today's market. Inadvertently my first deal ever was during this time of the year on 2018. Now about to proceed with 2 more deals as 2019 ends...Hopefully a solid indication for future deals trends!

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