Speaking purely from a property point of view, the run up to the Christmas holiday period is a weird!
1) The majority of the larger house builders have their half financial year end at the end of December so push like crazy to get buyers legally completed so they can hit their targets and secure their bonuses.
2) Many of the property investment companies we supply buy to let property stock to have end of year targets to hit and buyers to appease.
3) So many buy to let investors want a clean sheet for January and push to at least exchange contracts before the Christmas break.
4) Solicitors of course are busy with all of the above and have a tendency to do their usual petty squabble act with the other solicitors acting on the other side which of course makes things harder, but they do insist on flexing their muscles to show who has the upper hand. All resulting in delays.
5) Very few house builders want to discuss any potential new buy to let opportunities, and talking discounted property prices seems to be an unwelcome subject just before Christmas. This changes quickly in January!
6) Mortgage lenders seem to go into even more of a go slow than normal when the clock is ticking towards the holiday period. Attempting to secure formal buy to let mortgage offers or surveyors reports is hard work.
The list goes on. It can be a relatively unpleasant time with everyone pushing for the same result but not necessarily at the right time. A calm informed approach is always needed. A few more grey hairs to add to an already grey head of hair!
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