Salem, Ore. (CNN/Money) - As temperatures come down and holiday decorations go up, homebuyers and sellers in most parts of the country turn their attention away from real estate.

Year in and year out, the real estate market begins to slow after Halloween, drops off drastically a week or two before Thanksgiving and doesn't start picking up again until after Super Bowl Sunday in late January.

This tradition has held true even in recent years. Existing home sales were down nearly 31 percent between December 2003 and January 2004, according to the National Association of Realtors.

"The tasks of listing a home, selling a home, packing up everything you own, and moving is not popular during the winter season," said Anthony Hsieh, CEO of HomeLoanCenter.com.

It's not just the cold weather and hectic holiday schedule that deter buyers and sellers, he said. Families with children tend to buy and sell in the spring and summer months to avoid moving their kids to a new school in the middle of the school year.

Still, there are advantages of staying in the real estate market when everyone else heads to the mall.

"Because fewer buyers are out in the marketplace during the holidays, serious buyers tend to encounter fewer bidding wars than other times of the year," said Jean Eckhardt, with Coldwell Banker in Bedminster, NJ.

Eckhardt and other real estate agents say they are able to spend more time with clients during the holidays than they can during the busier times of the year. The same is often true for lenders, home inspectors, appraisers, title companies and others involved in the transaction.

Because the number of active buyers declines, the holidays have traditionally not been an ideal time to list your home. In the past, agents have recommended that sellers hold off putting their house on the market until February.

But, that wisdom may not hold true this season, said Ron Phipps of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. "We expect the holiday season to be more active," he said. "Rates are low and despite a drop in temperature the real estate market in area is still strong in terms of showings and sales."

Given the tight inventories for the nation as a whole, said NAR spokesman Walter Molony, it's easier for existing owners to sell than in years past because most areas of the country continue to have more buyers than sellers.

Moreover, buyers who are shopping for a house during the holidays tend to be more motivated.

"Sellers are rarely bothered by those who are 'only looking' during the holidays," said Eckhardt. "These buyers are serious buyers."

Meanwhile, real estate agents in some markets say that the holidays are actually their busiest time of the year.

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In Port Washington, New York the market picks up when would-be buyers come home for the holidays. "Our market attracts people who grew up here and return to buy their first home or second home," said Janet Marron, with Coldwell Banker. "One of our agents even sold a home on New Year's Eve."

In any market, a little holiday cheer never hurts.

Tasteful holiday decorations can move buyers to overlook a home's flaws and imagine living in a house. "Homes decorated for the holidays usually look great," Phipps said. "Just don't overdo it."