When is the Best Time to Sell a House?
Selling
It’s likely that you’ve heard that spring is the best time to sell a house. For some people, however, personal or professional obligations get in the way and spring simply isn’t a convenient time to sell a home. This leads sellers to ask themselves: when is the best time to sell a house, and risks am I taking by putting my homes on the market during the offseason? Read on to learn more.
Peak Season
In the world of home sales, peak season starts in the spring and runs the entire length of the summer, with June being the biggest month for home sales. Keep in mind that, while the peak season is functionally the same in all areas of the country, places with more temperate climates or a population of older buyers may have a slightly longer or less defined peak season.
When it comes to the question of whether peak season is actually the ideal time to sell a home, it’s important to consider the benefits: peak season offers higher sales prices, higher valuations, easier showings, and more traffic. Peak season also has its drawbacks, though: more home sales produces pickier buyers and peak season is prime time for bidding wars. Because of this, many home sellers choose to route around the stress and put their homes on the market during the off season.
Off Season
Offseason runs through fall and winter. While off-season is an atypical time to sell a home, it’s not altogether a bad idea, providing you’re ready to accommodate the unique challenges therein. While homes certainly sell during the winter, sellers are likely to run into price-sensitive shoppers with long lists of demands. Additionally, houses show better during peak season, and showing a home in the winter presents a unique set of challenges, including decreased curb appeal and a diminished feeling of “vibrancy” within the home. These effects can be mitigated through artful staging, however.
The Best Time to Sell a House
Most people choose to sell their homes during the on-season and most real estate experts agree that this is the wiser decision. In addition to the fact that you’re likely to fetch a better price, spring and summer really is the best time to sell a house and it is much more enjoyable for both the buyer and the seller. While it’s possible to show a home during the off-season and fetch a good price for it, most sellers simply aren’t willing to put up with the unique challenges presented by a winter sale.
