If you’re considering selling this spring, it’s time to get moving – the best week to list your house is fast approaching.
Spring is typically the best time to list your home for sale — at least in the years before the pandemic-fueled housing boom. It’s when buyers come out of winter hibernation and hit the market in droves.
Experts at realtor.com looked at seasonal trends from recent years (excluding 2020 as an uncharacteristic year due to the onset of the pandemic) and determined the ideal week to list a house this year:
“Home sellers on the fence waiting for that perfect moment to sell should start preparations, because the best time to list a home in 2023 is approaching quickly. The week of April 16-22 is expected to have the ideal balance of housing market conditions that favor home sellers, more so than any other week in the year.”
If you’ve been waiting for the best time to sell, this is your chance. But remember, before you put your house on the market, you’ve got to get it ready. And if you haven’t started that process yet, you’ll need to move quickly. Here’s what you should keep in mind.
Work with an Agent To Determine Which Updates To Make
Start by prioritizing which updates you’ll make. In February, realtor.com asked more than 1,200 recent or potential home sellers what updates they ended up making to their house before listing it (see graph below):
Plan To Have Your House Staged.
Once you’ve made any necessary repairs and updates to your house, consider having it staged. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 82% of buyer’s agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.
Additionally, almost half of the buyers’ agents said home staging had an effect on most buyers’ view of the home in general. Staged homes typically sell faster and for a higher price because they help potential buyers picture their new life in the house more quickly.
More tips for sellers
Here are some more suggestions for sellers hoping to maximize their selling success:
- Real estate is very localized, so speak with an experienced agent in your market who understands local sales trends. Agents can give you neighborhood-specific sales information to help you make the most strategic decision about when to list your home.
- Keep prep time in mind. Sellers should consider making key home repairs and updates to maximize their return, but this can be lengthy. Even simple decluttering can be time-consuming, so plan accordingly and finish these projects before listing your home on the market.
- Make sure you get expert, professional-quality listing photos taken. Almost all homebuyers search for homes online these days — 96 percent, according to National Association of Realtors data — so it’s important to put your home’s best foot forward right from the beginning.
Are you ready to sell this spring? Let’s connect with Full Circle Real Estate to plan your next steps. You can start by making a checklist of what your house needs to prepare. Then, we can prioritize your list and move forward together.
