The Providence Journal, December 3, 2006  Christine Dunn, Journal Staff Writer

The Providence Journal,  December 3, 2006

By Christine Dunn, Journal Staff Writer

The holiday season is traditionally seen as a time to stay home or visit home, rather than buy a home.  But the business of real estate grinds along during late November and into December, especially buyers and sellers who are unconcerned with school schedules.

..."The market is like the weather.  The one thing you can be sure of is it will change," said John Hodnett, principal broker of Lila Delman Real Estate.  "Last year, December was one of the busiest times of the year.  If people are looking, they are looking 12 months out of the year.  The week after Christmas is slow, but after New Year's, all of a sudden it's spring again.  That's when you have to start thinking about the spring market."

Hodnett said usually there are fewer open houses held during the holiday season, as agents focus their efforts on "people who are looking for something specific."  Agents may run "more institutional ads, holiday greetings, rather than property-specific ads," he said.

"Buyers certainly take a little rest, or breather, at holiday time," said Melanie Delman, president of Lila Delman.  "We promote our luxury brand with beautiful images, with taglines like 'Home for the holidays.'" 

Delman said, although the holiday season is one of the periods when the market can be a bit slower, the recent auction of the Miramar estate in Newport "generated a lot of interest in Newport from high-profile buyers from throughout the country."

"When you decide to sell, list it right away, because you never know when the buyer is going to surface,"  Hodnett said.

"Two years ago I got a call on Thanksgiving; someone wanted to see a house," Hodnett said.  "...He was kind of oblivious that it was Thanksgiving.  My wife was like, 'Honey, I'm taking the turkey out of the oven.'"

Hodnett decided it would be best to leave the sellers alone on the holiday.  "I've had to ask sellers to do a lot of things, but I didn't call them," he said.  "I wasn't going to do that."

"Weird things do happen on the holidays."