Message from the President
by Eric Winklhofer

Should you sell your home this holiday season?

The holidays are arriving and so has the time of year when home sellers wonder whether they should keep their properties on the market or take them off. Or if owners haven’t listed their home yet, they may be asking themselves if they should wait until spring or brave the winter real estate market?

Trying to sell your home during the holidays can be daunting to many homeowners. The season can be extremely busy for families, and the idea of taking on the additional stress of selling a house could be a turnoff to some people.

Many people consider the holiday season the worst time to sell your home; it is the time of year when homeowners are hosting family members, putting up favorite decorations and planning vacations.  However, listing a home during the holidays can be extremely advantageous to homeowners, and it doesn’t have to ruin any holiday cheer.

Here are a few reasons why homeowners should consider listing their homes this winter:

Less Inventory. For many homeowners, selling their home during the winter holidays seems like too much of a hassle, and they will either take their home off the market or wait until the warmer months to list.  This creates an inventory shortage, which is good news for a seller. And since there are limited choices for buyers, the homeowner could have a higher asking price.

Control Your Showings. Homeowners do not need to let their homes be constantly available for showing.  Let your real estate agent know if there are certain days and times that won’t work for your schedule.  You can have blackout dates where there are absolutely no showings, or create a daily schedule outlining when exactly potential buyers can come through the home.  Your agent is there to help make the process go smoothly.

Staging. Staging your home during winter can be as easy as decorating for the holidays. Just be careful not to overdo it, as décor that is too large or over the top can distract buyers. Sellers can also avoid offending potential buyers by using general fall and winter decorations rather than using religious themes.

Motivated Buyers. People hunting for homes during the holidays often have a reason for doing so, meaning that they are more motivated buyers. Most buyers who aren’t incredibly motivated will put off a home search during the holidays and pick things up again in the spring. If someone is touring homes instead of celebrating the season with friends and family they likely need to buy a home quickly and could be willing to pay more.

And of course, the most important thing that you can do to give yourself an advantage is to hire a Realtor, a member of the National Association of Realtors®. Realtors have real insights and unparalleled knowledge of your local market and can help you sell your home this winter so that you and your family can get back to celebrating the holidays.

As your president, I am available, 24/7/365 so please feel free to email me.

REALTORS Make a Difference

Click the video link above to watch how this year's President, Eric Winklhofer made a difference in the community!
BNAR is selling bracelets for $10.00 each to benefit the WNY Stem Hand in Hand Program. We have green, pink, blue, purple, brown, and black. Stop by and get yours or call us to make other arrangements.  “Help us Add Tomorrows by Giving Today.” Sorry cash only!  Makes a great stocking stuffer.

Salvation Army Food Drive for the Month of November
For the month of November, BNAR is collecting food items for the Salvation Army Pantry.  Stopping by the BNAR?  Bring a food item so that we can make a difference for those in our community.  A list of suggested items can be found by using this link.

Volunteers Also Needed for REALTOR Ring Day - Friday, December 6.
Did you know that ringing a bell for 2 hours raises enough money to feed a family of four for an entire week? Talk about a feel-good experience! Bell ring for a minimum of 2 hours a day. Time and location are all your choice. All you need to bring with you is a friendly smile! To sign up for a time slot and mall location please contact Bryanna Gwitt at the Salvation Army bryanna.gwitt@use.salvationarmy.org or 888-6220.

REALTOR and REALTOR-ASSOCIATE of the Year
Is it you or is there an outstanding REALTOR or Sales Agent in your office who has contributed to the real estate industry, the community and the BNAR?  If so, submit a nomination form to the BNAR by December 2, 2019.  The committee meets shortly after that date.  Here is the link to the REALTOR of the Year and REALTOR-ASSOCIATE of the Year criteria and nomination form.

Get Involved – Committees Forming
It’s that time again when committees, projects and task forces will be forming for 2020.  Working with other members of the Association on specific projects are fun, educational and rewarding; and you don’t have to meet monthly in order to get things done.    Here is a Committee Sign Up sheet.  There is also a place where you can add what your interest is should it not be on the form.  Submit your form by December 4, 2019.

Is it time to Renew your License?
Not sure how or where to go? The Education Committee created this 3 minute tutorial to help you through the process. The DOS has asked us to remind our members about the proper way to answer the continuing education question on the online license renewal form.  The question asks if the licensee has completed the required CE credit or if the licensee is exempt.  If the licensee has properly completed their CE requirements OR is exempt from completing CE, the licensee should answer “YES.”  Many of those who are exempt, mistakenly answer “NO” and therefore an audit is immediately triggered.  Unfortunately, licensees are often found to have gaps in licensure or are unable to prove continuous licensure, and thus lose their exemption from required CE.