Summer may be our busy season, but winter offers great opportunities for buying a house, especially for renters looking to become homeowners, growing families trading up to larger houses and baby boomers seeking homes to fit their evolving lifestyles.  The housing choices during December are less than in the spring, but market-wise, but if that fits your timeline, you could luck out.  The benefits to buying a house at the end of the year are fairly extensive:

1. Tax savings – If you close by December 31, you can deduct mortgage interest, property taxes, points on your loan and interest costs. These deductions can be significant, especially in the early years of your loan when you’re paying off a lot of interest.

2. Motivated sellers – Many sellers want to enjoy tax savings on the next home they purchase. They may accept lower bids in order to meet Uncle Sam’s deadlines. However, if you’re in a strong seller’s market, you’ll want to be conservative and heed advice from a real estate professional, like me!

3. Builder incentives – there are a number of Indianapolis builders who have “inventory” or “spec” homes that are available now and empty!  As the builders move to close out their year, they may offer upgrades or little extras to sell houses before the calendar turns.

4. Available movers – Many moving companies are booked six weeks or more in advance during the busy summer months, in the winter, it’s normally easier to find a moving company or rental equipment on shorter notice.

5. Paying toward something you own – If you’re renting, your monthly check goes toward something that will last you a month: You’ll never see any return on that money. When you buy a house, your monthly mortgage payment goes toward an investment—and ultimately a roof that’s yours.

6. Consistent payments – Landlords will likely increase your rent every year, once you buy a home, you can rely on consistent payments if you have a fixed-rate loan, the only fluctuation you might see is if your homeowners insurance or property taxes go up or down!

7. Freedom to renovate – Update your kitchen, paint your home’s exterior neon orange, change your fixtures or replace your flooring; whatever inspires you, no one can tell you, “No!”

8. Gaining equity – In the beginning, most of your payment goes toward interest. But gradually more will go toward paying off your principal, meaning you build up equity—or savings—in your home. Another factor in equity is appreciation: As home values rise, so does your rate of equity!

So who do you know that I can help Turn their dreams into an address…?