You may be surprised to know that of all New Year resolutions people have set aside, relocating to a new home is very attainable. With the festivities over, when is the right time to buy or sell property?

There are numerous ideologies on the appropriate deal. Prices and availability differ between regions, cities, countries and even within districts. Here are some guidelines provided by online real estate marketplace, Lamudi, that apply to property markets worldwide.

Rule number one is that after spotting a potential buy, avoid any hasty decisions prior to observing the market closely for a while. Take into account the price variations over recent times while gathering the necessary information and prospects of the property.

The best time to buy a house is when interest rates are low. It would be a mistake to buy during a buyer’s market when prices shoot up due to the availability of many offers. The same applies during the seller’s market, the contest increases.

The season also affects the property market, if it’s not too hot or cold the demand is higher. “When the weather is getting better, properties look better, and people are in an overall good mood and are therefore more likely to buy.” At Easter for instance, there is usually a rush, with a lot of people looking to move house during the holidays. The mistake first timers often make is hurrying into the market, thereby forcing the prices up.

Negotiation and even the relocation process will be more costly because most people want to make good use of the holidays. In countries located in the northern hemisphere, most sales are finalised from about October 15 to December 21, according to an agent who spoke to global property portal Lamudi.

Contrary to what you may think holiday period can be a good time to buy or sell a property, the end of the year is particularly interesting because agents and real estate firms need to meet their targets for the year.

Christmas in particular is a good focus because the mood is happy, families preparing for the feast and shopping for last minute presents. “…they are also more likely to be generous – meaning prices could come down.”  The challenge is at the point of finding an agent who will agree to work during Christmas and reach out to the owners to negotiate.