Should The Seasons Dictate When To List Your Home For Sale?

It has long been real estate wisdom that the best month to put your home on the market is the beginning of spring and in Australia, that means September. The thinking is that gardens emerging lush and colourful from the bleakness of winter, plus extra light flooding living spaces, combine to present the dwelling at its best.

Study the market during holidays – get ready for autumn

People generally become more active outdoors once winter is over as the days are longer and the weather more accommodating. It’s an excellent time for buyers to plan a weekend of open house inspections. However, this is not the end of the story as some people prefer autumn, that is, March to May, to house hunt. Cooler than summer and not as busy as spring, it’s the perfect time for buyers who have spent their summer holidays checking market prices.

There are some traps, nevertheless, in following this accepted logic. At Bunbury Real Estate we also see spring as a time for increased market activity, but this should not be the only consideration if you are getting ready to sell. We recommend that our clients consider other aspects of the market when deciding to list their properties.

Always respond to market information

Our selling agents, for example, regularly check market activity to see which areas are popular with buyers, which are oversupplied or undersupplied with housing stock, the types of properties that have recently sold and the prices being achieved. Often, none of these aspects have anything to do with the passing of the seasons.

Life issues trump seasons if selling is a must

Other examples that affect when someone decides to sell their home are more personal. Life circumstances such as a property settlement following a divorce, a career move to interstate or overseas, upsizing or downsizing, financial stress or any number of other personal issues can occur at any time of the year.

Don’t write off a slow and lazy summer

For sellers still keen on sticking with the seasonal approach, summer may work for houses that are bright and breezy, or are close to water, whether it be the beach, a river, a canal or a lake. Once the Christmas rush is over, January is holiday time for many people, and they may like to squeeze in some open-home inspections. Also, the slower market at this time of year is usually short of good properties, so it’s the ideal opportunity for advertising to grab buyers.

Listen to the experts

The most important thing, regardless of seasons, is to have your property well-presented and priced to meet the market. Follow the advice of your selling agent and you will have a sale that will allow you to move onto the next phase of your life.