"Although it is hard to believe as it is so close to Christmas, this may be the very best time to list and sell your residential property, especially if you are planning to leave the area," said Francine Nelson, broker/owner of Realty World RESA in Cupertino. "Most properties are selling in just a few days with multiple offers on anything $1.2 million and under. There are very few properties on the market and lots of buyers ready and willing to buy now."

Realtor John Leslie of Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Gatos describes the current market situation as "déjà vu" since it closely mirrors last year's market in December where listings were gold.

"The buyers are anxious about another full blown sellers market after the first of the year. Some hard to move homes have sold just because they were all that was left in that price range," Leslie said.

Convincing sellers to go on the market during the holidays is a tough sell said Leslie. Unless someone absolutely has to sell, they will usually wait until January or even later to list their property. One of the main reasons for the delay is the inconvenience of having agents call for showings and having to prepare their home over and over again during the busy season. Sometimes the rain and cold weather also discourage sellers.

"However, the seller who has a vacant home is another matter. These sellers are really missing a great opportunity to take advantage of this market. Their property can be beautifully staged in holiday colors and really attract the buyers. Sellers can get their price when the market is like this," Leslie said.

For Mortgage Planner Judy Hamilton of Bankers Network Corp. in Campbell pricing can be the issue. In her experience during the past 28 years as both a Realtor and Mortgage Broker, the holidays mean an increase in business.

"I don't know if it is the fear of pricing going up in January, but people want 2004 pricing. After Super Bowl Sunday, the inventory normally increases and those sellers want to have 2005 prices. They add on an average of 13 percent, or the expected appreciation for the whole year, in the first month. This could make a huge difference to those looking to purchase. With the interest rates still holding and the fear of them increasing, buyers want to get as much house for the lowest interest rate as possible," Hamilton said.

It's the season to be busy for Realtor Dennis Byron of Byron and Associates in Los Gatos. He is frantically writing offers for one of his clients who wants to buy a town home in the under $500,000 range, but is encountering multiple offers and escalating prices. His advice: sellers should put their homes on the market.

"I just made a presentation on a condo and we were one of 54 offers. It is crazy out there. I opened the door on one condo this weekend and 12 people followed me in. I may as well have held an open house," Byron said. "Inventory is as low as I have seen in recent history. If the house is priced right and you don't mind hundreds of people seeing your Yuletide decorations, go for it. You'll sell it over market over night."

According to John King of Alhouse King Realty in Palo Alto, the holiday season is a banner time to sell a home. With few listings to choose from, there will be greater activity and buyers who look at this time of year are usually serious buyers.

"The holiday season is a great time to sell until the week of Christmas. If you aren't ready before New Years, then be ready for the second week of January and you'll also reap the benefits of fewer homes being on the market and even more buyers," King said.

Realtor Susan Sweeley of Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Altos agrees that the holiday season is a great time to sell. Although typically a slow time of year, there is pent up demand from buyers who are now actively looking during this holiday season. The down side for sellers is that it may be even more inconvenient than usual to have buyers and agents trouping through their homes.

"If sellers do put their house on the market now, it won't be on the market very long, perhaps a week or two if it's priced right. The inconvenience will be over quickly. Interest rates are still low so it's a very good time for buyers to buy," Sweeley said.

Although the number of available homes typically drops during the holiday season, the percentage of homes sold increases said Toby Vanderbeek of Intero Real Estate in Los Altos.

"Inventory may continue to drop for another month or two. There are many buyers still looking for homes. If everyone waits until January to sell, then we have a flood of properties on the market and lots more competition for each of those sellers. Besides, the homes look great decorated and lit up during this time of year," Vanderbeek said.

This year is an especially great time to sell according to Arvada Darnell of Coldwell Banker with inventory 40 percent less than this time last year. There is a huge demand for listings with multiple offers coming in on 80 percent of the homes on the market in the under $1.5 million category.

"I am very excited to have a new listing in December. It is like an unexpected gift. Sellers should not wait for the spring. They should sell now when there is little or no competition," Darnell said.