Here’s Why Selling a House in Fall Won’t “Leaf” You High & Dry
Depending where you live, telling people you’re selling your house in fall leads to a plethora of concerns. “Are you sure?” or “Are you desperate?” are some of the questions that will inevitably come your way.
But RealtyHive is here to tell otherwise. In most cases and most events, selling your home in the fall is A-OK.
RealQuick: Why do many think it’s bad to sell in the fall?
For a long time, the window to sell houses was unofficially in the spring and summer. As soon as you got to October, many believed it was better to hold off until the following spring to sell.
The reasons for this were intertwined. For a very long time, there were fewer buyers — it was more difficult to look at houses and move in winter, plus many families didn’t want to disrupt school schedules.
Fewer buyers meant lower sales prices, and it also meant longer waiting periods. Anyone who’s sold a house knows that an indefinite wait period throws a wrench into their own moving and buying plans. The result? Why wait months to sell when you can just plan on selling in spring?
What’s Changed Now
Because the market’s changed so much, the best time to sell a house is when you want to sell. Here’s why selling your house in the fall isn’t going to leave you high and dry for the next six months:
The market is still hot.
Anyone who pops on a real estate listing database can clearly see how many houses are up for sale. The demand to sell no longer wavers based on the season — and neither does the demand to buy. This means that prices will still be high, and your chances of selling for a fair price are good.
There could be fewer wintry worries.
Holding off until spring to sell your house means that you could face winter problems that require fixing — problems you wouldn’t have had to deal with, had you sold in the fall. Burst pipes, broken furnaces — no one wants to deal with that.
Not to mention, if you’re waiting to sell but already have another property, imagine shoveling two driveways. No one wants to shovel two driveways.
The photos will be so much better.
The better the photos, the better your chances of selling. And what looks better: a house surrounded by barren trees that looks sad and depressed like we all do come March (warm climates excluded)? Or a house that’s framed by crisp, autumnal trees with gorgeous leaves?
Your fall photos > winter or early spring photos. Potential buyers will show greater interest in pictures that truly show the beauty of your home.
The holidays make time speed up.
Well, not scientifically, but when do November and December not seem to fly by? If you list and sell in fall, you could spend the holiday season in a brand new house instead of stressing over selling a few months later. For all we know, you could actually roast chestnuts over a built-in fireplace in your new home — but only if you list in the fall.
Fall is a time of letting things go. Just as the trees shed their leaves, it’s time for you to trust the season and list your home for sale. If you’re worried about selling in a timely manner, let our time-limited events work in your favor! With resources like Cashifyd offering cash back to sellers and a time-efficient selling process, RealtyHive does it all. List with us today!