The best time to sell your house

The best way to determine when the best time is to put your house on the market is to get a home evaluation and to find out what the seasonal data is for your local real estate market, which a real estate professional can give you information about. You can get a home evaluation either on our website, or another real estate group’s website. 

It is also important to consider what inspires people to move?

- They are upgrading to a newer or better home. "Better" is a relative term, but it can mean a house in a better school district, a better commute to work, a better location, a better quality of life.... the list goes on. 

- Their family is expanding. Maybe they have a baby on the way, or a parent who needs extra care and is moving in.

- They are relocating for a job. Maybe they got orders with the military, or were offered a promotion at work that requires a move.

- They need a smaller house. Maybe they are downsizing because of an empty nest. Maybe they lost a job and want a cheaper mortgage payment.

How long do people typically stay in a home?

Much of this depends on life circumstances, but most people stay in one home for 5 to 9 years. Buyer activity cycles can depend on where you live and how often people are moving to and from the area, but the bottom line is, people are always moving and looking to buy houses. Some markets like Florida, for example, don't have much of a change in the real estate market. Florida has anywhere from 60-80,000 houses available at all times, and people are always looking to move to Florida.

Make sure you are ready to sell when you finally pull the trigger.

Make sure there are enough buyers in your market looking for a house before you put yours on the market. There are 5 key factors when it comes to selling a house:

- Price, terms, and the condition of your house are 3 factors that you can control. Is your house priced according to the market? How does your house look? Does it have enough curb appeal?

- However, 2 factors that are somewhat out of your hands are location and exposure. Unfortunately, you can't pick up and move your house (unless you have a trailer!). In terms of exposure, a good real estate agent can help give your home the best exposure to attract the most buyers.

For additional information, watch this video of Tim giving his thoughts on the best time to sell your house!

Do you need to sell your house because you are PCSing with the military? Maybe you don't have to sell. Check out these tips for what to do when you own a home but have orders to PCS!