When is the best time to sell my house?
It’s a question we are asked all the time: when is the best time of year to put my house on the market?
Traditionally, there are two ‘busier’ periods for house sales – between February and June, and then from September to November. If you look at the gaps, you can see why: between November and January, we have the lead up to Christmas, the festive season itself and then January, which is a month when energy levels and motivation generally run low. July and August of course are the summer holidays, when people tend to lift their feet from the pedal and let things just mooch along a little.
Now, don’t get us wrong – houses come to market all the time, and if you are buying, then looking at new homes up for sale during these quieter periods might give you a head start on those who are taking a break. If you are selling, those first six weeks are crucial – after this, people start asking why it hasn’t sold yet, particularly in the current fast-moving climate.
In reality, it’s only two quite short periods of the year when things slow down a little, so if you know you want to sell, and want to wait till the more proactive months, it’s actually a great opportunity to get your home, and yourselves, ready for valuations, and those first viewings.
We recommend that when you are in those first stages of considering selling your home, you do some research of your own in the area in which you are selling, and the type of home you are putting up for sale. Look at the average prices, if they seem quite variable, look more closely at the houses with lower and with higher sale prices – what is the difference that makes the difference? Make an appointment with at least two local estate agents, ask them to come and value your home and explain the market to you. Ask them about the varying prices on homes in the area – what is it that makes one home, seemingly quite similar to the next, that little bit more valuable? It may actually be nothing more complicated than the sellers’ being in need of a quick sale, or the opposite – prepared to wait to find the right buyer, or just being somewhat unrealistic. It may be that a property needs work, and the price is set to tempt ‘do-er uppers’, or that it’s been carefully maintained, the decor is unchallenging and buyers can imagine simply moving in and living happily ever after.
ALWAYS ask for, and accept, honest advice on what you can do to maximise your home’s value and speed of sale. We have talked about first impressions in a number of our blogs and it’s so important to remember that you are not selling your home – you are selling the house you live in, someone else’s next home. A great estate agent will assess every room in your home and, through their experience, will know how homes are viewed by house-hunters, and be able to make suggestions on any changes they think will be worthwhile. Check our blog for some ideas.
And don’t worry – a really good estate agent will know precisely how to market your home, to a ready and willing database of prospective buyers, whatever time of year you decide to sell.
If you’re ready for that first conversation about selling your home, give us a call on (Chorlton) 0161 882 2233, or complete the form here.
Eddie – Friday 12th August 2022
