Is fall a good time to sell your home?

Realtors often say that spring is the best time to sell a home. But the autumn months are also a good time to put a home on the market. How long it will take to sell your home and the sales price will depend on several factors. One of the most important elements is working with a professional Realtor to make the process of selling a home as painless as possible.

The fact is, houses sell throughout the year. The reasons people buy or sell a home are many, and if someone needs to move because of a job transfer or another specific reason, they’ll need to buy a house. Still, statistics show the spring months from March to June are the busiest for real estate transactions.

There are some well-documented reasons for this:

• Fair weather in spring tends to put people in a more positive mood, meaning they are ready to make a major decision such as buying a home.
• Blooming flowers and trees make every home for sale look more appealing.
• Families with school-age children want to buy in spring and move in summer so the children can begin the school year in the fall at a new school for an easier transition.

Summer is generally slow for real estate sales because the families who want or need to move already have made their decisions. Also, people who move for other reasons, or who don’t have school-age children, typically have other things on their mind during the summer, such as vacations and keeping cool.

Winter is traditionally, and statistically, the slowest period to buy or sell a home. Still, real estate transactions don’t stop, they’re just not as frequent. This means that if you, for whatever reason, have to sell a home in January, it’s not necessarily a disaster. You might have to price your home more realistically, or less hopefully, than in the spring, and be willing to put more effort into the selling process. However, lower inventory of homes means sellers don't have to be as competitive with pricing.

Fall: A busy real estate season

Although all of these reasons are valid ones for buying or selling a home, real estate market statistics show fall is the second-best season for transactions. Mid-September to mid-November is a busy period in Realtors’ offices. Some Realtors say this is part of the back-to-school mentality. Fall is a time when people are used to starting major projects. Once summer vacations are over, people have the time and energy to focus on house hunting.

But if you’re thinking of putting a home on the real estate market this fall, don’t wait too long. By mid-November, people are thinking more about holidays than moving. Statistics show sales slow way down between mid-November and mid-January.

If you do decide to sell during this period, remember that price might be the major motivating factor for a buyer rather than the house itself.

How to sell your home in autumn

No matter the time of year, there are some things that a homeowner who wishes to sell a house needs to do:

• Remain realistic about pricing your home. Your house might be the nicest on the block. But in general, the higher you put the asking price above the market value, the longer it will take to find a willing buyer. Talk to an experienced Realtor to set the right selling price.
• Clean up inside and out. When selling your home, it’s vital to show it at its best. Whether it’s spring, summer, fall or winter, make sure your home is spotless inside.
• Clear away all the clutter. This might mean putting decorations, books and magazines into storage.
• Fix all of those little things. That includes items such as the loose gutter or the cracked sidewalk stone. Touch up or repaint any peeling paint. Buyers want a home in move-in condition, and they’ll deduct the cost of any necessary repairs they see from their offer.
• Make replacements. Upgrade cracked tiles, dirty grout and stained or worn carpets.
• Fit and finish. Trim  hedges and trees, remove dead or unsightly plants from the garden, and cover all of the flowerbeds with fresh mulch. These steps add to your home's curb appeal, which is critical for motivating buyers.

Work with a professional Realtor

You can sell a house at any time of year if you’re realistic about the selling price and are willing to make it show its best. Your professional Daybreak Realtor will work with you to help you buy/sell a home in South Jordan Utah as quickly as possible and at the best price.