"There’s a misunderstanding that winter is quiet," Andrea Webb, an agent with Keller Williams in Montclair, N.J., told The Star-Ledger (New Jersey) in a recent article.

Real estate pros report that the weeks between now and the Super Bowl can be some of the most hectic in getting a head-start on what’s traditionally considered the busy spring buying season.

"Most good associates use the months of November and December as an opportunity to get organized for the coming spring market, which can arrive as early as January," Gary Large, president of the New Jersey Association of REALTORS®, told The Star-Ledger.

More real estate pros reportedly recommend to their sellers to host open houses during the cooler months because they’ll face less competition. Also, they say, more serious buyers often come out during the winter months, such as corporate clients who are needing to relocate within the first quarter of the year.

"We try to encourage the sellers to pretty much get their house on the market early in January to beat the rush, because most people tend to wait until the spring," Marilyn Bailey with Prudential New Jersey Properties in Morristown, N.J., told The Star-Ledger. "It’s a nice time of year to shop — not as many buyers are out there, so you’re not competing with other offers as much."

Real estate pros are also using the winter months to focus on networking (such as through holiday parties that can create plenty of opportunities for meeting new clients or gaining referrals) and taking continuing-education classes to ramp up their skill sets before the spring buying season hits, agents report.

Source: “In a Down Housing Market, Real Estate Agents get a Head Start Now for a Busy Spring Season,” The Star-Ledger (New Jersey) (Dec. 25, 2011) Daily Real Estate News | Tuesday, December 27, 2011