While the summer is the best opportunity to take a vacation, if you are in the market for a new home, it is probably best for you to stay put and do some searching. According to an article from Trulia the housing market is very competitive, resulting in the best time to buy a house is while the competition is on vacation. One holiday that is perfect for gaining a leg up on the competition? The 4th of July.

Here are some tips from Trulia that can help you score a home during the holidays.

1. Attend Open Houses

Sunday is the usual day to host an open house. Well, one particular Sunday was not the right day for home sellers. A group of agents from Zillow and Trulia were asked by home sellers if they should host an open house on Sunday that fell on the Fourth of July. An overwhelming response of disagreement immersed. The reason? No one would come. Potential buyers are enjoying the holiday and would rather attend a bar-b-que or travel.

Trulia advises home buyers to take advantage of private viewings and take note! Any seller that is willing to show their home on a holiday is very motivated to sell, presenting the perfect opportunity to make that home yours.

2. Take Advantage of Old Listings

Trulia states that “By July, peak selling season has passed. A house that’s been on the market for a while might turn out to be a great home for you.”

3. Understand Your Own Worth

This tip applies to home sellers especially. Many home buyers will look at multiple houses, but ultimately they can only choose one house. This results and a bunch of eyes looking at a home, but not a lot of offers in the end. Although “working” on a holiday is not ideal, it shows a seller that buyers are motivated to buy and can extend an offer if the seller is motivated to sell. If a buyer is serious about a home and is willing to view on a holiday, then they are a prime opportunity to secure an offer. Go get it!

4. The Deal

When there is a holiday, many buyers are off celebrating. This is a serious buyers chance of scoring the home they desire, and possibly scoring a deal not offered to anyone else. As Trulia states “Even in a seller’s market, not every home sells quickly or creates a bidding war.

To read more about these tips for securing your dream home visit trulia.com