What’s the Best Time to Sell a House?
Selling a house is largely dependent on the state of the housing market. Putting your property up for sale at the right time and in the right conditions can have a huge impact on the sale of your home and the length of time it takes. According to data trends, between February and June is the best time to sell your house.
Selling a House
While selling a house can be challenging, homeowners can benefit from using industry trends and market conditions to help make an informed decision.
Best Time to Sell a House
Simply speaking, the best time to sell a house is when the greatest number of buyers are actively looking, and when there are not as many similar properties in your area on the market. Increased interest and competition will likely increase the sale price of your house as buyers competing for property will make the best offers.
Best Months to Sell a House
According to the Home Owners Alliance as well as data trends, the first half of the year continues to be the most popular time for selling a house. There are a few reasons for this:
- The weather is good
- Buyers are enthusiastic about starting the New Year fresh
- More daylight for viewings
- The possibility of finding a new house before the summer holidays
The New Year
The New Year is an excellent time for buyers to start searching for a new home. The Christmas season is over, and many people see it as a good time to start fresh. Activity in the buyers’ market picks up during this time of year. People starting their search at the beginning of the new year will only really consider buying after spending a few months viewing properties that match their requirements and budgets.
Spring
Spring is the most popular time to sell your house. The enthusiasm of the New Year is still in the air and many buyers aim to have their new home by summer. The Easter Bank holiday adds to this as it gives people more time to browse, consider their options and make decisions. Viewings will also be more regular as there are more daylight hours, while gardens are coming alive again, adding to the appeal of the home. Even better, if you have a south-facing garden, this is the perfect time to show it off in all its glory.
Summer
Once summer hits, there is often a slowdown of activity within the property market as people turn their focus to the summer holidays and school holidays. In general, buyers, especially those looking for family homes, will use the beginning of the year to look for a new property to ensure they are settled in their new home before school starts. For those searching for a new home after July, data suggests demand falls just before August.
Autumn
During the autumn season, there is an increase in activity after the long summer months. According to Google Trend data, an increase in interest for the term ‘buy a house’ starts around the beginning of November, before dipping in December and rising once again in the New Year. The reason? People are back from holiday and there is still the chance to get a new home in time for Christmas and children going back to school.
Winter
No surprise here – winter is the worst time to sell your house. Buyers are pre-occupied with Christmas preparations; the days are shorter, and the overall weather is not appealing. Buyers are rarely interested in buying this time of the year, except for a few who are keen to look for bargains by completing a purchase in time for Christmas. Since Christmas can be a major deadline to move in, starting the selling process before would be advantageous, but having your house on the market during the New Year is always a good start.
Seek Professional Advice from Douglas & Gordon
As a seller, you should speak to your agents before putting your property on the housing market. This will help you better understand how long it takes to sell a property in the local area, what the local market looks like and which properties sell faster, especially if the sale is time-sensitive.
At Douglas & Gordon, you can rest assured that your house or flat for sale will be shown to the right buyers, at the right time. Talk to Douglas & Gordon today if you have a property to sell.