The holidays are great. It’s the time of year where we cozy up, break out the cocoa, and spend time with friends, family, and plenty of good food. As real estate investors, however, we tend to neglect one important thing about the holiday season: it’s a great time to get ahead. The fourth quarter of any year tends to drag when it comes to real estate.

Real estate investor’s aren’t always buying. Even as a buy-and-hold investor, sometimes, you want to sell. Maybe a property isn’t working out for you, maybe your goals are changing. Maybe you just want to streamline your portfolio. Either way, there will come times—especially with many markets seeing returning and accelerating home values, when it becomes tempting to sell. But should you?