“When is the best time to sell my home?” This is a question facing homeowners every day as they consider listing their home on the market. Most experts will tell you the best time to sell your home in the spring but, of course, that’s not always an option. So, what about the rest of the year?
Good news! If you're thinking of selling, you don’t have to wait until the snow melts. Here are seven fabulous reasons why fall is the ideal time to sell your home.
1. Great for New Builds
A new build is definitely worth waiting for. That's why, if you do plan on building your next home, it will be important to consider your construction timeline when listing your current one. This is why coordinating the purchase of a brand new home is best done in the fall.
If you close a deal on your new home in October or November, you’ll be ready to move into your new castle by early spring. This will also give you the same amount of time to list your home and ensuring you get as much from the sale as you're hoping for.
2. Less Competition
Listing your home in the spring means you'll be going up against the largest number of comparable listings. By hammering in your “For Sale” sign in the late summer or early fall, you can rest assured you'll have less competition.
You're also likely to get closer to your asking price (as long as it's on par with the market!), as you won’t have to bring it down to stay competitive.
3. Long Listing Period
Maybe you own a home that’s tougher to sell; maybe it's a “fixer-upper”, or it's an older home where you can’t use the microwave and toaster at the same time without blowing a fuse. If this describes your reality, listing in the fall will provide the longest possible window in which to sell your home. You’ll benefit from a busy fall selling season, a quieter winter, and a booming spring before everyone leaves for summer vacation.
4. Enjoy The Summer
Listing in the winter or spring could mean spending your summer moving or be forced to stay at home so as not to miss out on a sale. This will always present several challenges that can best be avoided by selling your home in the fall.
No one wants to move their entire lives during the hot summer months! This time of year is reserved for getting the rest and relaxation you so richly deserve. Go to the beach, camp out under the stars, or visit a distant locale. Don’t use Edmonton’s short summer stressing yourself out with a move.
Also, if you plan on relying on friends and family to help you move all your stuff, good luck scheduling your move around their backyard barbecue parties, trips to the beach and summer vacations!
5. Be Ready For Next Fall
Listing your home this fall will bring you less stress next fall. Other than New Year’s Day, there is no other time of the year that feels like a new beginning than September. The kids are back at school and work is starting to get busy again as everyone is back from summer holidays.
By selling in the fall, you’ll be settling into your new home by late spring, even if your home is on the market for three or four months. This will give you several months to get acquainted with your new home, the community, and your neighbours.
You’ll also avoid the stress of registering your child late into the school in your community while moving at the same time.
6. Buyers are Serious
During the summer, homebuyers are more focused on weekends at the lake, coordinating picking up and dropping off their kids at summer camp, and a great number of other things. While we shouldn’t generalize, it common for a number of buyers to be less committed to buying during this time.
Fall homebuyers tend to be more interested in acting on a home purchase, as they have now spent time looking at their options and have a better idea of what they want. Not to mention, the pressure to buy is a little greater at this time in order to avoid moving during winter.
7. Curb Appeal
There is something so vibrant about seeing a home in the fall; the changing colours, the falling leaves, the decor homeowners add to their front doors or windows. It can give older homes a more cozy, New England charm! Increasing your home's fall curb appeal also tends to be much simpler.
Even though the experts say spring is the ideal time to sell your home, there’s no need to wait out another long Alberta winter. From decreased competition to shorter wait times, there are several great reasons why the fall is the perfect time to list. Combine the natural curb appeal the season brings with a warm and well-staged interior [ http://yegblog.qualicocommunities.com/blog/home-staging-101-10-tips-for-selling-your-home-fast-in-any-market ] and there’s no doubt you’ll sell in no time.
Looking for more advice to help sell your home? Check out our post on 6 Common Mistakes Homeowners Make When Selling Their Home.
