A common question we are asked is, “When is the best time to sell my house?”. Do seasons make a difference? The answer is not a simple one; when it comes to selling success, the season you sell can be a factor. This of course is only one aspect to consider when selling your home.
There are many different conflicting views on when is the best time to sell. Some people swear that summer is the ultimate time to sell, while others argue that autumn is the season for selling. Every homeowner has a different opinion when it comes to the best time of year to sell.
Some property investors in Ireland would argue that when you plan on selling your house doesn’t matter, as what’s important is the property. However, according to CSO statistics, the best time of year to sell is in the Spring. We would also say that the property marketplace would be a major benefactor on when to sell.
Why sell in Spring?
The CSO statistics show that putting your house up for sale in spring, the house tends to sell twice as quickly as properties put on the market at other times of the year. While we can’t be sure of the reason that selling in spring tends to yield good results, it’s easy to see why people choose to buy at this time of year.
Some aspects in Spring that add to the sale, thanks to the weather starting to warm up, homes look nicer than at other times of the year. The grass is lush and green thanks to the April rains, the flowers are just starting to bloom, and so, properties tend to look more appealing.
Whereas, in the cold harsh winter weather hits gardens hard, leaving them looking wet and miserable. The aspect of Christmas on most people’s minds, meaning they are focused on other things. Attempting to sell at this time, can be more challenging, however, in the current market place, houses are selling within a couple of weeks.
During the spring, people don’t have much on, so have more time to property hunt. Whereas, in the summer, most people are busy with family holidays and child care. No one wants to stress about moving house during the summer holidays, so summer is often a harder time to sell.
Does this apply to everywhere?
Yes and no. Thanks to the sunny spring weather and blooming flowers, spring is the perfect selling season. While March to May is the ideal time to sell, it’s important to take into account what’s going on in the local area.
While studies have shown that spring is the best time to sell your home, it’s important to realise that local factors can affect this. When it comes to selling your home while spring is the best time to sell, think about the area you are selling in.
For example, if there is work being done on the road outside your home during spring, this is not a good time to sell. Before putting your home on the market, check to see if there will be any work going on nearby.
Or, for instance, if you live in a tourist area, and April is a busy time, don’t attempt to sell then. As the busyness around the area will most probably put buyers off, as they may presume the area is always that busy.
Obviously, if you can sell your home in spring getting it on the market is important. However, if factors like road work or busyness in the area make your home less appealing, it’s best to hold off. Spring is three months long, so even if you can’t sell at the start of the season, you could sell later on.
How to ensure your home sells in spring
Spring is undoubtedly the best time of the year to sell, so it’s important that your home is sellable by the time March comes around. Even when selling at prime selling time, your home still needs to have that wow factor.
Perfect the curb appeal of your property – the exterior of your home is the first thing buyers will see, so it needs to look good. Go neutral inside – cover over garish paint colours with neutral tones. You might love bright, bold colours, but not everyone does. Create a property that buyers are able to walk around and see the potential, and your home will be snapped up.
There’s no question about it when it comes to selling your home; spring is the best time to put it on the market. There’s just something about the warm spring weather and beautiful blooms that will make your home more appealing to buyers.