Selling Your House: When Will You Get the Best Value

You are selling your house. Sometimes the thought of it can be a little bit overwhelming. But is there a good or bad time of the year to sell? The answer is yes and no.

Should I sell my house in the Spring Real Estate Market?

Sure! Spring market is a great time to list your house for sale. You will find that this is the most traditional time to sell a house. Therefore, the pool of buyers who are looking may be at its largest. You will, of course, get more money for the sale of your house if you have the most people looking at it.

Downsides to the Spring Real Estate Market

You are not the only seller who is aware of the importance of the Spring Real Estate Market, however. So you may find that there are very many houses for sale at this time of year. In markets which are slowing down in many locations, this may drive prices down further.

In addition, there may be many 'lookers' at this time of year. You will probably find that the number of nosy neighbors and people who are just window shopping are at their peak at this time of year too.

What about selling my house in the summertime?

Summer is not as busy as the Spring Real Estate Market. Many buyers have already purchased their new homes and are planning on moving during the summer. However, some have not. You may find that there are leftover buyers who have not yet found their dream houses. Maybe yours will fit the bill.

There may also be less inventory on the market, as many houses will have sold during the Spring Real Estate Market. If there are fewer houses to look at, there is an increased chance that your will sell at a good price.

Fall Real Estate Market

The Fall is probably the second busiest time in real estate. Kids are back in school, vacation time is over and many people use this time to look for new houses. Often the buyers will target Christmas vacation time as a good time to move. You will find that this market kicks in right after Labor Day and runs through Thanksgiving.

You may also find that this is a good time to sell your house. There will probably be more buyers who are ready, willing and able to buy your house during this time of year than during the summer. However, inventory may jump slightly.

One pitfall to be aware of is that winter is coming. If you are selling your house during the Fall Real Estate Market, be sure not to overprice it. If it does not sell by Thanksgiving, you may be forced to reduce that price more that you would like.

Is it possible to sell real estate during the Winter?

Absolutely! There are many good reasons to sell your house at this time of year. If you find that it is necessary to do so, don't panic. It is essential to price your house correctly at this time of year, however. There will be a limited amount of buyers, so make sure that they don't overlook your house.

Although there will be fewer buyers at this time of year, you can be pretty sure that they are serious, qualified buyers. Most people just don't have the time to be window shopping or looking at houses they have no intention of buying during the holiday months. The same will hold true for the cold month of January. If a buyer makes an appointment to came see your house during this time of year, he or she will most likely be a serious buyer.

In addition, your house may be decorated for the holidays. What a great time to show potential buyers how warm and inviting your house is.

Don't forget that Wall Street gives out bonuses during the month of December. If you live within commuting distance to Manhattan, this may be a great time to sell your house.

So, When Should You Sell Your House?

• Spring Real Estate Market is traditionally the busiest
• There may be a lot of lookers or window shoppers during the Spring
• There may be excess inventory of houses for sale during the Spring Real Estate Market
• There may be leftover buyers who are ready to purchase during the Summer
• Inventory will dip during summer months, so there is less competition
• Fall Real Estate Market is the second busiest time in Real Estate
• Do not overprice your house in the Fall Real Estate Market
• Winter buyers will be serious and qualified and may need to purchase
• Although there are fewer buyers during the winter months, there are also fewer houses listed for sale, so there will be less competition