How Seasons Impact The Best Time To Sell A House
Spring is considered the best time to sell a house, but you can successfully sell your home at any time of the year. Let’s take a look at how each season impacts home sales.
Selling A House In The Spring
Houses tend to look their best in the spring. Blooming trees and plants and natural sunlight can do wonders for a home’s curb appeal. Demand is also at its highest in the spring when serious buyers take advantage of the warmer weather and begin searching for a new home.
Additionally, lots of buyers prefer to make a purchase earlier in the year and settle into their new home before the start of the school year. With more buyers competing with one another, you’re more likely to receive more offers and sell your house quickly at a higher price.
The biggest downside to selling in the spring is that you’ll also be competing with other sellers. Because buyers have a greater selection of homes to choose from, you’ll have to take steps to make your home stand out in the real estate market. Pay attention to comparable sales to ensure your home is priced to sell. Review current listings to make sure your home is not in worse condition or priced higher than other listings.
Selling A House In The Summer
By June and July, there’s slightly less competition for sellers. Curb appeal is still high during the summer, and pleasant weather offers a better experience during showings. Also, families with school-aged children will feel more pressure to make a purchase before the start of the school year. This means they’ll be more likely to make a serious offer and want to close quickly.
If a home is still sitting on the market from spring, it may be a sign that it's overpriced or has other issues that deterred potential buyers. After the rush of buyers flooding the market during the spring, sellers will have a better understanding of what buyers are willing to pay for comparable homes and price competitively.
Demand may drop from its springtime high, so you may need to make some adjustments, such as improving curb appeal or investing in home improvements to entice buyers. As temperatures rise, make sure your air conditioner is in good condition to keep your home comfortable for showings.
Selling A House In The Fall
Real estate activity starts to slow when the leaves begin to fall and temperatures cool. There are still some eager buyers looking to close on a new home before the holidays, but others may hold off on their house hunt until the weather warms up again. It’s also a time of year when buyers will look for better deals, along with the need for sellers to consider dropping prices to attract buyers.
Fall foliage can help boost your home’s curb appeal, but make sure to keep up with your fall cleaning checklist, such as raking leaves and cleaning the gutters, to ensure your home looks its best.
Selling A House In The Winter
Once winter arrives, the majority of buyers are in hibernation mode. Activity drops during the winter as buyers are less inclined to go out into the harsh weather to attend open houses. Your home may receive fewer offers and sit on the market longer, but because it’s a less popular time to list a home on the market, there’s also less competition when appealing to buyers. Don’t be surprised if you receive lowball offers and be prepared to negotiate.
Sellers must also contend with lower curb appeal. If you plan to sell, consider staging a home for the holiday season. Break out your decorations and bring some holiday cheer to your entryway to help draw attention to your home.
