Selling your house is a pretty big deal; it’s not something you do every day or even every decade, so it’s worth timing the sale of your house to your best advantage.
There are circumstances under which you may need to sell your house in a hurry—you’ve signed a contract on another home or you’ve accepted an overseas job offer, for example.
In those situations, you just have to make the best of the prevailing market conditions and price your property competitively enough to attract serious buyers.
However, if you are just starting to plan your sale and have no particular deadline, make good use of the time you have on your side.
Following are some things to consider before putting your house on the market.
Timing the sale of your house: Is it getting hot around here?
The ideal time to sell your house is when the real estate market is hot.
In a hot market, properties are in demand because there are more buyers than sellers participating.
This highly competitive situation works to your advantage as a seller by driving up house prices.
So how do you know when the market is hot or cool, warming up or cooling down?
The best way to determine the state of the market in your area is to talk to an experienced local real estate agent.
They will always have their finger on the pulse of the ever-changing property market because they work in it every day.
Your local real estate agent will also be aware of external factors likely to influence the market, such as changes to legislation, infrastructure improvements and proposed new housing projects.
Timing the sale of your house: The market gets warmer with the temperature
Another factor to consider when timing the sale of your house is the season.
Spring is the peak selling season as sellers try to attract those buyers wanting to purchase new homes before the end-of-year hiatus.
It’s a pleasant time of year to attend open homes and, provided the market isn’t cool, it’s a good time to put your property on the market.
Summer and autumn can also be quite busy times for selling property.
Winter’s colder weather discourages some sellers from entering the market, which only means that your home will have less competition if you choose to sell it then.
To counter the fact that fewer potential buyers may attend open homes when it’s really cold, make those that do visit feel comfortable and right at home in your house with a warm fire and cosy décor details.
Your real estate agent will be able to guide you.
Timing the sale of your house: Undertake repairs and complete renovations now
If your house requires some repairs or has incomplete renovations, make sure they’re finalised before you put your home on the market.
If you are considering any new renovations, hoping to improve the chances of selling your home for a good price, talk to your local real estate agent about whether they are likely to add significantly to the value of your property.
It could be that you’d be better off saving the money and inconvenience, as potential buyers will have their own ideas about what they want to do to the house.
Timing the sale of your house: Take the time to talk to us
Based in Glenelg, McGrath Real Estate’s professional agents truly understand the local market in Adelaide’s western and coastal suburbs.
We’ve been helping people to buy and sell properties in this highly livable region for more than 45 years.
Contact us to discuss the best time to sell your home to achieve the highest possible price.