Selling your home can be stressful, especially when you need to decide what the best time to sell is. The goal of any home seller is to bring in the most interest and get the top price. Knowing when the optimal time is to list your home is an essential factor in hitting those goals.
There are certain times of the year where you will encounter less interest in your home. During the holiday season or the summer, people are less likely to be looking for a new home. They will also have less money to spend with their holiday gifting obligations and summer vacations to fund.
While there are different primary times to sell in other areas, spring is generally the best time to sell a house. Let’s take a closer look at a few reasons to sell your home in the spring.
Buyers Are Ready
Over the long winter, many potential buyers have been busy researching and looking at neighborhoods that are on top of their lists. When the snow melts and the spring is ready to bloom, potential buyers start getting out and actively looking for properties. The housing market almost always starts to heat up between April and June. Since this is the prime time to sell your home, you may be in competition with many other properties. It’s a good idea to list your home as early as possible to bring in those early buyers.
Settling Before Summer
The end of the summer is a busy time for most families. After the vacations and long summer days are over, it’s all about getting back to normal routines and getting the kids back to school. Most families want to be in their new home and firmly settled by the end of the summer. This means that they will be eagerly looking for a new home in the spring. Once the deal is closed, they can be assured that they will be in their home before the end of the summer.
Home Repairs
Before listing your home for sale, you want it to look it’s best. You may have to touch up some paint, work on your landscaping, and complete any small repairs. Spring is the best time to get your home ready for the market. You don’t have to deal with winter storms or accumulated snow when working in the spring.
Home Cleaning
Home sellers want to make sure that their home looks and smells clean before they put it on the market. Buyers want to tour a home that is fresh and looks like it is ready for them to move in. Deep cleaning should be done on both the interior and exterior of a home if you are ready to sell. Spring is a great time to get out your cleaning supplies and get scrubbing. You will be able to power wash the exterior of your home and clean the outside of your windows without worrying about winter weather.
Faster Sale
With the influx of families looking for new homes in the spring, you can expect much more interest in your listing. According to Zillow, a house listed in the early spring will sell 15% faster than any other time of the year. If you require a quicker sale, or you have already bought another home and want to move in a hurry, it’s best to list your home in the spring.
Bidding Wars
Homes that are put on the market in the spring will have a lot more competition than at any other time of year. While this may sound like a negative, it can actually lead to bidding wars between interested buyers. Bidders will be anxious to find and settle into a property. If you have an attractive listing, you could receive multiple offers. It’s not unusual for bidding wars to exceed your asking price, which will increase the size of your profit.
If you are considering selling your home, it’s important to choose a time of year that will give you the best results. Selling in the spring could result in a higher sale price, bring in more interest, and sell your home faster.
