Are you just now thinking of selling your home but are afraid you may have missed your window of opportunity to list this year? Think again! Yes, spring and summer might be the busiest time of the year for the housing market, but there are actually perks to waiting to list your home until the fall. Here are five benefits to listing your home in the fall.
1. Curb Appeal
Listing your home for sale in the fall allows you time to utilize the warmer months to improve on the curb appeal of your home. You can use that time to paint the exterior, fix or add a deck, pave the driveway, install a fence and work on landscaping. Not only will these things make your home look nicer, but it also has the potential to increase the value of your home.
2. Picture Perfect
With clear skies and trees bursting with color, Autumn offers an opportunity for beautiful photos of your home. The atmosphere that comes with fall weather will make your home feel more welcoming and cozy to potential buyers as well. In addition, the weather tends to be more stable, meaning you have less of a chance of rain and excessive heat.
3. Serious Buyers
Because spring is the busy season of real estate, buyers can afford to be picky due to the abundance of inventory. They might hold off on writing an offer and extend their search. But, with the end of spring and summer, buyers will be eager to get settled. No one wants to be moving on cold snowy days, and certainly not during the busy holiday season. With a market where inventory is more limited, buyers will want the process to move quickly. And, as a perk, your home will stand out and not get lost in the pool of houses for sale because there are less options for buyers to pick from.
4. Buyer Demographics
Spring is a wonderful time for families to move and get settled before the school year starts. But, empty nesters and millennials generally start the process later in the year; more than half of buyers don’t have kids under the age of 18 still in the home. In addition, employers who need to relocate employees often wait until the market starts slowing down to avoid higher rates.
5. Realtor Attention
Agents are at their busiest during the spring and summer, and are often working with numerous buyers and sellers at once. If you wait until the market is in it’s off season, your agent will likely be able to give you and your home more attention. When they are busy with endless showings, open houses and other appointments, it might be difficult to ensure you get the time you need or want with your Realtor.