Fall is a great time of year to buy or sell your home. While springtime may be the most popular season to put a house up on the market, there is no reason to wait if you want to sell when autumn rolls around. People are ready to buy homes any time of year – especially if you know how to prepare the property to sell. Here are 5 reasons why fall is the best time to buy or sell a new home.
Reason #1: Less competition! The real estate market clears up as the air turns crisp. Most people look to buy homes in the summer, leaving fall buyers with less competition. Some fall buyers may become overwhelmed with inclement weather, shorter days, and holiday demands. If you’re flexible, less competition can pay off for you!
Additionally, if you are looking to sell your home, fall is a GREAT time. Not only is there LESS competition, people dig a decorated house! People have quite a few holidays to look forward to in the fall, including Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Depending on the exact time you are showing your house, you can take advantage of the association’s buys have with these select dates.
Keep your decorations and the general feel of our house in tune with the holiday that is coming up. Just like businesses and retail stores do, you can invoke the feel of the holiday for your potential buyers. They can see themselves and their families enjoying the same holidays in your home.
Lastly, there are some GREAT fall breaks that many families use to make a move. Savvy home buyers use the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks to complete their move and the kids don’t skip a beat in school
Reason #2: Buyer demand is high! The latest Buyer Traffic Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains very strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing, and able to purchase… and are in the market right now! More often than not, multiple buyers are competing with each other to buy a home.
Take advantage of the buyer activity currently in the market.
Reason #3: The longer a home is on the market, the more power the buyer has! Many sellers want to get things settled before the end of the year, completing their own move before the holidays. If you’ve had your eye on a house during the previous months, it is time to make your move in the fall. Fall also has its advantages for every aspect of real estate transactions, as agents, lenders, inspectors, title companies, moving companies, etc. experience lighter schedules in the fall, giving them more time and energy to focus on helping you. This will lead to a less stressful and more snag-free experience.
Reason #4: Year-end tax credits. Closing at the end of the year can bring you tax breaks. You can apply the property taxes you paid and any interest on a home purchase to offset your income for that entire calendar year. This could help out when April rolls around. Consult with your financial planning professional to determine how to leverage the timing details and other aspects of your purchase to your benefit.
Reason #5: Quicker process and more quality time! Fewer buyers/sellers means you will have the full attention of your house hunting team, including your real estate agent, mortgage broker, and real estate lawyer. You can ask all those questions you might have about home-buying and selling. According to Ellie Mae’s latest Origination Insights Report, the time to close a loan has dropped to 43 days, after seeing a 12-month high of 48 days in January.
If you decide now is the time for you to buy your next home, give Audra a call at 843-608-8149. Also, when you sign those closing documents, it’s time to think about new appliances. According to Consumer Reports, December is when major appliances – refrigerators, stoves, washers, and dryers – are at their cheapest. It is also a great time to buy cookware and TVs. So once you get settled in, get ready for the renovating and remodeling fun!
Here is a list of my favorite contractors:
Roofing – Joey Walters – 843-514-1819
Plumbing – Ronnie Burbage – 843-296-2907
Hardwood Installing – Robert Crosby – 843-296-4993
Hardwood Sanding and Refinishing – Ty Brown – 843-460-8606
Tiling – Carlos – 843-539-6286
HVAC – Coastal Services HVAC – 843-822-0915
Custom Cabinets Building and Installing (Kitchen, Bath, Built-ins and more) – Woods Cabinets – 843-478-9971
East Coast Granite – Todd Hagey – 843-709-5157
Electrical and all misc. renovations/repairs – Frank Walters 843-514-8670
Call me! I would love to work with you!
-Audra Walters