Question: Our family will be increasing by one soon and we’re targeting the next 6 months to purchase a larger home and sell our current home. Is there any truth to the winter being a bad time to sell?
Answer: If you’re planning to sell your home in the next 6 months, the statistics in Arlington strongly support selling your home before Thanksgiving, but all is not lost if you miss the fall season and need to list during the winter.
Stats Indicate Weaker Winter Sales
From December – February, Arlington home sale trends include lower median sold price, fewer pending contracts, higher discounts from list price, and higher days on the market. All clear indicators that homeowners considering selling their home soon should push for a fall sale. Take a look at the Arlington trends over the last three years:
Does It Apply To Everybody?
If you have a great view or valuable outdoor space, you’ll almost certainly take a hit by listing in the winter, but if you’re like nearly half of Arlington homeowners who live in a condo with little to no outdoor space or a view, the effects of a winter sale won’t be nearly as harmful.
Do you have a unique home that appeals to a small number of buyers? Unique homes require maximum exposure to the most number of buyers and with fewer active buyers in the winter, it can be much more difficult to sell a unique home than one with mass appeal.
If You Have To Sell In The Winter
Not everybody has the luxury of timing their sale, so if you’re planning to sell in the winter, here are some tips and stats that work in your favor:
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Take your (professional) exterior pictures between now and when the leaves turn. It’s very hard for buyers to visualize how beautiful your yard or view can be during the cold, dark winter months so make it easy on them. This can be worth thousands of dollars! Don’t forget to landscape first.
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In the winter, the housing supply drops more than demand. The housing demand drops in the winter because there are fewer active buyers, which is why sales numbers are weaker. However, the supply of homes drops even more, so the supply/demand works out in favor of the seller. See the below chart showing the trend in months of supply (lower months of supply are better for sellers): getsmartcharts.com
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Active buyers in the winter are dedicated buyers. You’re not going to find many looky-loos when it’s 25 degrees out. Take advantage of fewer competing listings by introducing a strong marketing campaign that attracts the pool of committed buyers or even gets a few “spring buyers” off the bench early and into your home.
Selling your home seems like a daunting task, but selling in the right market can make all the difference. Feel free to give me a call if you’re considering selling your home and want to discuss what it will take to get it ready in time to hit the fall market.
