The holiday season, often seen as a time for relaxation and celebration, can also be an opportunity for significant life changes, including relocation for a new role. While many might hesitate to make a move during this festive period, there are compelling reasons why it can be the perfect time to take the plunge.
Lower housing and relocation costs
According to Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, the lowest home prices come in the winter months – particularly from Thanksgiving through mid-January – making right now the optimal time to land that dream home before the flowers come back in bloom and prices start ticking up. Due to lower housing prices and smaller demand, sellers and their realtors are more willing to negotiate to seal the deal as urgency might be a factor the house is on the market during the slow home-buying period.
There’s not much data that supports better mortgage rates during the holiday season, but they’re starting to trend downward since their peak in October 2023. In fact, it’s down a full percentage point on a 30-year fixed mortgage, which translates to four-figure savings compared to just a year ago.
The downstream impact of lower house sales means the cost of moving belongings from one place to another is also a lot more affordable. Moving companies increase their prices during the peak summer season as demand skyrockets and availability becomes far less flexible.
The numbers really add up when moving out of state. According to the “This Old House” moving calculator, a three-bedroom house moving from Los Angeles to Chicago on Saturday, December 7 will cost an estimated $5,000. Take the same exact move but change the date to Saturday, April 5, and that now becomes $8,000. This is also something companies can factor in as they weigh relocation compensation as a method of saving extra money.
Time to settle into a new role
For many companies, the holiday season is a time to prepare for the new year. This gives a fresh transformation leader the time and opportunity to get their feet wet and establish trust from their peers before implementing new changes during a busy season.
Moving from out of state or city is a hectic time. There’s a house to get, new schools for the kids to enroll (we’ll get to that later) and a new culture to embrace – it’s forgivable if work isn’t top of mind quite yet. This time of year does allow a new employee to address the most pressing needs at home while easing into a wind-down period at the office.
This time is a great chance to leverage holiday gatherings to make a good first impression in festive and informal environments. It can take a bit of the pressure off everyone as bringing in new leaders from outside the organization can trigger companywide anxiety and uncertainty. So once the holiday break is over, all the introductions have been made, the onboarding is complete and the anxiety has been extinguished – and all that’s left is to roll up the sleeves and get to work.
Family benefits
Moving a family is among the most stressful and challenging moments in a parent’s life. There’s certainly no easy or best time to do it, but the holiday season has advantages over other times on the calendar.
For school-aged children, they’re typically off from a day or two before Christmas through the new year. Packing and moving is hardly on top of anyone’s list of ways to spend the holiday season, but it does offer a fresh start at the symbolic midpoint of the school year. It’s not as easy as a summer move, but it’s likely preferable to any other time on the calendar as they still have extra days to handle the enrollment process.
While the holiday season is traditionally a time for relaxation and celebration, it also presents a unique window of opportunity for those considering a job change in a new city or state. From the financial advantages of lower housing and relocation costs to the professional benefits of settling into a new role during a quieter business period, the holidays offer a range of compelling reasons to make a career move. By making the move during this period, individuals can position themselves for success and start the new year with renewed purpose and momentum.