Pro Tips for Buying or Selling a Home in Winter

Just because the snow’s flying doesn’t mean the housing market’s going to ice over. These expert tips can help whether you're buying or selling a home during winter.

You can’t take anything for granted when it comes to the Canadian housing market. The winter selling season is no exception.

Even though it’s the quietest time of the year for home sales, winter still provides plenty of opportunity for buyers and sellers — if they’re ready to seize it.

Notching a winter win will require having a few things, such as:

An understanding of how busy the market might be, which should spur you to action.
Expert tips from real estate agents to ease the drudgery of viewing or listing a home once the cold settles in.
Mitts.

You’ll find the first two below. The last one’s up to you, or Santa.

How hot could the winter market be?

Two factors will determine the 2025 winter market: lower mortgage rates and new mortgage rules.

Angela Langtry, broker at Century 21 Immo-Plus in Montreal, expects rates to continue bringing buyers off the sidelines.

“I definitely felt an impact from the last interest rate drop of 50 basis points, where all of a sudden I was dealing with seven offers in a week,” she says. “I am expecting a healthy winter, and I’m onboarding new team members to be able to accommodate that.”

Smaller markets are also maintaining their heat as winter sets in. James Haywood, an agent at Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate, says lower rates and strong population growth are creating summer-worthy competition in the city, including a recent multiple-offer situation for some of his clients.

“We went in fairly aggressive. There were nine other offers and we lost,” Haywood says. “It’s still very active.”

The winter might also be unusually busy because buyers are trying to evade what could be a strong spring market, Akash Bedi, broker at Winnipeg-based Re/Max Executives Realty, says.

“Typically, yes, winter does slow down. But my advice would be if you are serious and do find a house, jump on it because the spring market is going to be different,” he says.

Lower mortgage rates will improve affordability for buyers everywhere. Those in expensive markets will get even more help when the new $1.5 million insured mortgage limit kicks in.

As of December 15, buyers will be able to get an insured mortgage on homes worth up to $1.5 million, which becomes the new point at which 20% down payments become mandatory. Instead of a minimum down payment of $200,000 on a $1 million home, buyers will be required to put down just $75,000.

Because smaller down payments create huge mortgages, high earners may be the only people who can afford the resulting mortgage payments. There are plenty of these individuals in Toronto and Vancouver, so if you’re in that cohort and plan to buy this winter, expect some company.

Buyers: Tips for braving the cold

Now that your expectations are set, what can you do to make hunting for a property easier this winter?

While bundling up is a no-brainer, Langtry says to pay particular attention to your footwear. If you’re going to be taking your boots on and off during a day of property viewings, avoid boots with laces. Go with pull-ons or boots with zippers.

You might even want to bring your own shoes for the inside, depending on what kind of home you’re viewing. “If you’re visiting rental properties with tenants, the floors might be kind of gross, so you might not want to walk around your socks,” Langtry says.

Bedi says to treat the winter market like the spring or summer and be ready to act. Ensure that your mortgage pre-approval is complete and your down payment is accessible.

“That way when you do have to pull the trigger, you can get the deal wrapped up within 48 hours or less,” he says.

One advantage of viewing homes in the winter is that you can check for drafty windows or other structural issues that might not be apparent in the warmer months.

“In my own home, I only noticed drafts after I moved in because I bought the house in September and I moved in November,” Langtry says.

Sellers: Be accommodating — and be ready

In the summer, when houses are sun-kissed and bright, they can often sell themselves. Winter can require a little more work from homeowners looking to offload their properties.

Make your home accessible and welcoming, Haywood says. Keep the walkways shoveled, and if there’s an evening showing, remember to leave some lights on.

“There’s nothing worse than pulling up to a house when it’s dark and covered in snow and it doesn’t look like someone wants to move into it,” he says. “So you have to make it look as warm and inviting as possible.”

Haywood also encourages sellers who celebrate Christmas to reconsider going all-out with the decorations.

“You have to keep in mind that someone has to visualise themselves moving into your home. They might not celebrate our holiday season,” he says.

Most of all, if you’re listing your home in the winter, be ready to act. You might sell it — and have to move — sooner than you think.

“I always say the serious buyers come out in winter,” Langtry says.