Listing your real property for sale puts you at the mercy of the current market. Most real estate professionals will tell you that timing is everything if you want to get as much as possible for the home that you are about to sell.
Obviously, the condition of the overall regional and national real estate markets will be a major consideration. It is always better to sell when prices are on the rise than when the market starts to soften.
However, you can’t really control what happens to the economy. What you can control is the time of year when you put your home on the market. Every year sees fluctuations in price and demand during different parts of the year. What months have the most notable fluctuations in prices?
The best time to sell
Most real estate agents will tell you to start prepping your property in February or March for a spring listing if you want to make the most amount of money possible for the sale. Homes tend to sell very quickly and competitively in late spring and early summer, with June representing the typical annual pricing and demand peak for residential real estate.
People are eager to spend more time outside after the dreary winter months, and the flowers of spring, as well as the manicured lawns on display in the summer, can help make properties especially attractive to potential buyers.
The worst time to sell
There are times of the year when people would prefer to stay where they are rather than packing up and moving. The late fall and early winter time to see the softest real estate markets, with October and December generally being the months with the lowest demand and lower overall sale prices.
Some people who have to sell to avoid foreclosure or for a sudden transfer at work have no control over the timing of when they sell their homes. Still, the average property owner looking to move into a bigger home for their new child or a smaller space for during retirement can plan to list their property when they can get the most money possible for it. Learning more about real estate trends can help you maximize your returns when you want to sell residential real estate.