Experts say winter may be the best time for homes to hit the market.
While conventional wisdom suggests spring is the time to list, winter sellers benefit from a number of factors, namely there are fewer houses on the market and buyers are more serious.
Dorsey Alston’s Erin Yabroudy says the benefit of listing a home for sale in winter is less competition. She also noted that inventory in and around Atlanta is currently very low, which favors sellers.
“Good listings coming on the market are getting multiple offers, so the chances of getting a buyer quickly is good right now,” Erin said.
Also, interest rates can make a huge difference in affordability to buyers and with interest rates currently on the rise, now is a good time to list if you’re ready, she said.
Currently she has a listing in Ansley Park that is available for buyers looking to get settled before interest rates rise and before spring fever hits. The 1920s cottage on one of the quietest streets in Ansley Park is steps from Piedmont Park, Beltline, Botanical Garden, Woodruff Arts Center & more.
Statistically there are fewer listings in the winter months. This can bring more attention to your home among potential buyers because they have fewer homes to consider. This also means that buyers may be more willing to consider homes that don’t include everything on their wish list.
Buyers are often more motivated in the winter months. While it’s more enjoyable to look at homes when it’s warm outside and the yards are pretty, winter buyers are usually not window shopping. December and January often bring buyers who are relocating for work or they have other reasons they must move.
“In the spring there are typically more buyers looking, but not necessarily serious buyers,” Erin said.
A recent article published by the Trulia real estate web site listed the top reasons for listing in the winter as:
Less inventory means more attention
First-quarter job relocations
A locked-in real estate agent
No landscaping, no problem
A lighter footprint, literally
A faster home sale and
A higher listing price.
Listing in January or February can also give a seller a jump on the spring competition when an influx of listings typically hit the market.
A recent article in the Washington Post also agrees winter might be a better time to list than spring because listing now gives buyers an edge of the traditional April to June spring market, and because the competition in spring can drive prices down.
