If there’s one question that we get asked more than anything else, “when should I sell my house” is high on the list. The most logical answer is to act during the busiest market.
Although real estate doesn’t always follow predictable patterns, those of us in the industry know that there is a cycle. Demand comes and goes, and prices rise and fall. When they do, it almost always aligns with the calendar. For example, autumn is generally a fantastic time to list your home.
The reality of your personal situation may be far more nuanced, however. In this post, we’ll talk about some of the reasons to list now and when it might be better to put your decision on hold.
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A Busy Market Isn’t the Entire Picture
All things being equal, and if you have the chance, spring is arguably the best time to sell your house. That’s when you’re likely to see the most demand, which gives you the best chance at a high price.
However, if you get a promotion at work, a family situation that requires a quick relocation, or your ideal next home pops up on the market, you cannot just wait another year. In this case, fall is perfect, because it’s also an exceptionally busy market.
Even better, buyers are more motivated because they want to be settled in before the weather turns for the worse.
The one caveat to both markets is that if there are plenty of buyers, there are also plenty of homeowners listing at the same time. The situation is ideal, but you cannot get complacent. Home presentation and a data-based pricing strategy are both critical even when you have every other advantage.
Whenever you decide to sell your home, presentation will be one of the determining factors in your results. The posts below will give you some unique insights:
- Fantastic House, Challenging Location: What to Do When Selling
- Unique or Just Plain Weird? Our Thoughts on Home Design
- Repair It or Leave It: Most Worthy Upgrades Before Selling a House
When Not to Sell Your Home
People tend to focus on “when” or “how” to sell a house. Though it’s a fair question, the answer isn’t always black and white. An easier question might be when to avoid moving if at all possible.
Sometimes, you don’t have a choice, but if there are options, we would never recommend that a client list in the dead of winter. With the occasional exception, this is the slowest season in real estate.
Transactions do happen; people buy and sell homes nearly every day of the year, even on Christmas Eve. That said, buyers are few and far between. Even many of the buyer agents will be on vacation!
If life has changed and you need to sell your house quickly, you may not be able to wait until April. But if it’s August now, you can almost certainly wait one more month for a more advantageous position.
Are you searching for a listing agent to support you while leading you to the best possible outcome? Here’s Why Caldwell + Co is the Right Choice When Selling Your House.
Doing the Best You Can With the Resources You Have
As real estate agents, it’s our job to give you the best possible advice. We also realize that life is unpredictable.
It’s not that you can’t sell successfully during the off-season. There are ways to overcome any challenge. You just have much less margin for error. Optimizing results in these conditions requires a well-thought-out and well-executed strategy.
A swift transaction is critical because you do not want your house to stay too long on the market. If you list in July when no one is searching and haven’t sold by September, buyers may wonder “what’s wrong with the house?”
The truth is that nothing is wrong; it’s just the market, but unfortunately, the perception is still there. Think of a restaurant with no diners at 7 p.m. on a Saturday night. The food could be fantastic, but no one wants to take the chance. The same principle applies in real estate.
Looking for even more tips to increase your chances of a successful home sale? Start by reading the posts below:
The Advantages of Selling in the Fall Instead of Spring
One of the absolute best reasons to list in the fall isn’t what you might think. Yes, it’s busy, and buyers are on a timeline. But most of all, it has a clear start and end date.
The spring market can be chaotic. When does the action begin? It doesn’t always match the calendar.
“Spring” in real estate has started as early as February. Other years, we don’t see much activity until the end of June or even later. No one can deny that it’s a great time to be on the market – if you could predict when the peak would be.
We’ve seen listings arrive in late March or early April that went unnoticed by buyers for months. (Not ours, of course, because we promote every listing relentlessly, but it happens.) By the time the season picks up, the excitement over the home has dwindled.
Contrast that with the Fall market, which is more dependable. Year in, year out, it begins in mid-September and ends in late November to mid-December. An obvious timeline makes for a successful and relatively stress-free selling process.
- You know when you need to have your house clean, repaired and staged.
- Photography and marketing will also come with a clear deadline.
- Since most buyers want to be moved in by December, you also know your closing date.
A typical house may sell for more in the spring, but not by a huge margin. The difference can be negligible when you consider how much more peaceful and stress-free a fall transaction can be. For some homeowners, this stability is all the advantage they need to get the results they want.
Are you ready to buy or sell a house? Our Kingston real estate agents are happy to help and guide you through each step. Reach out to us at caldwellco@royallepage.ca or call 613.449.6588 today.
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Caldwell & co. is your all-in-one resource for everything real estate related in Kingston, from community highlights to market-shifting trends and hands-on transaction guidance.
