Is it time? Are you ready to list your house but do not know where to start? No fear! Selling your home is a huge event and you need to have all the preparation necessary in order to make the right decisions! Today we go over some key questions home owners have about listing their property!
To put it simply: Trends and Conditions.
A. Seasonal trends are exactly what you think. Depending on where you live, there are better seasons to list your home than others. Seasonal trends are affected by factors such as local climate, cultural events, and economic activities. It is important to understand specific market dynamics. In Texas for example, you may see in Houston or Dallas, or any urban market, it may be better to list your home at a different type of year than if you are in a more suburban or rural area.
B. Market trends use wide heard terms such as a "Seller's" or "Buyer's" market. In a seller's market, the demand for homes exceeds the supply making homes sell more quickly at higher prices. However, in a buyer's market, there are more available properties than there are buyers. This means sales may take longer and sellers may need to adjust their prices accordingly.
C. Economics plays maybe the most significant role of the 3. Job growth, mortgage/interest rates, and consumer confidence can all have a major influence on buying/selling.
As alluded to above, that depends on your market. However, there is a great amount of evidence to support the following:
Season - Spring/Summer - warmer weather and more daylight will create a better curb appeal for buyers. Also, people with school aged children will want to make moves during this time as to not disturb the child's school year.
Month - June/December - once again, the warmer months always see a surge in real estate activity. However, with the winter holiday, and people looking to start the new year afresh, December often sees a lot of buyers looking to close before the new year.
Day - Thursday - the best day to list a house is often Thursday. It aligns with the weekend when people will have time to go to open houses and visit homes they are interested in. Homes listed on Thursdays have been known to sell faster and sometimes sell at higher prices than homes listed on other days!
Not everyone gets to choose when they sell. That being said, make sure you have enough time between your decision to sell and you listing your house to: enhance your curb appeal, conduct repairs, make sure your home is staged in the appropriate manner, get PROFESSIONAL pictures taken, and know the above about the market you are in. Markets vary from city to city so make sure you work with an agent who understands these conditions and helps you maximize your goals!!