When’s the best time to sell your house?
There are a lot of myths surrounding the best time to sell your home or property: You should wait until spring to sell; When you get an offer you should make the potential buyer wait; Price it high then reduce it if it doesn’t sell quickly. Although many myths can be easily dispelled, how do you tackle the one about when is best to sell your home?
At Felicity J Lord, our mission is to get you moved, so we put together this article to guide you. Spoiler, there is no one size fits all for the best time to sell a property — but that’s where our expertise comes in. Our agents use their local knowledge of your area to make sure you get the best sale possible. They know the best time to sell for you.
That being said, here are some factors to take into account when you are thinking of selling.
Which season is the best for selling your home?
When you start researching, spring is often suggested as the best season for house selling. Winter becomes tricky as Christmas takes up a lot of people’s time, and summer is a time that families (and indeed everyone else) take for travelling abroad or taking a holiday at home.
Spring is when the days begin to get longer, so you get plenty of natural light, plus the garden can look its best during spring as flowers bloom.
Although it isn’t impossible, summer isn’t statistically the best time to sell. School holidays mean that if you are trying to sell to a family they might not be around much. Even if they aren’t taking a holiday abroad, childcare will be taking up a lot of parents’ time over summer.
Autumn is when things tend to pick up a little after the summer lull, but once October is over people are starting to think about Christmas and not about moving home.
Thinking of selling? Read our guide How to Sell Your Property
Different times of year suit different types of property
Your home may suit a certain type of person better than others. For example, a first-time buyer isn’t likely to purchase a three bedroomed detached house, they are more likely to be looking for a flat or single bedroomed property. According to The Advisory, an independent site that supports people looking to sell their house, January-February and September are the best times to sell to first-time buyers and younger couples. Why?
- Just after Christmas they will be ready for a new start, especially if they are still living at home
- After the summer holidays finish, they are looking to be in their new home before Christmas
If you are selling a 3-4-bedroom house, your target buyer is going to be more likely to have children or be looking to start a family. For this reason, avoid the school holidays for putting your home on the market. Check when the longer holidays (summer, Easter, Christmas) are for the schools in your area.
For bungalows and retirement homes, your buyer will be older or people looking to downsize their home. Older buyers are more active during the warmer months of the year.
How does the region your house is in affect a sale?
The seasons affect the entire country, but there might be certain regional differences that will determine how quickly a home will sell. Things such as:
- Council plans to change an area — check local planning permissions. Is the area going to have a lot of work going on? Selling a house during this time might not be the best idea.
- Supply and demand — you need plenty of people looking to buy, and few competing sellers looking to sell. Check with your estate agent to see if the balance is in your favour. You can also perform a search on Rightmove as if you were a buyer looking to buy a property like yours, or visit the National Association of Estate Agents to view their monthly report on the market.
How ready should I be to sell?
Make sure that you are ready to move on from your property. That’s both financially and emotionally. Take time to prepare your home for viewings. Read our guide on how to do this here.
It's better to be on the market for a shorter length of time because the longer it’s there, the more buyers may see it as having potential problems. So, avoid putting your house on the market before it's ready to go. Adding value to your home doesn’t have to be expensive either.
Selling your home? Let Felicity J Lord help. Head to our Sales page for more articles and information. Questions for us about buying or selling? Contact us.
