When you decide to list a home for sale, there are many decisions to make — and for the first-time home seller, the process can be a bit daunting. There are questions of how to price your home, how to stage it, which improvements and upgrades to make, etc. Among these decisions, choosing the best time to list can be quite confusing. Is one time of year better than another? Is there a “sweet spot” for listing? What are the specific dynamics in the Atlanta market that make certain times of year more optimal for selling?
While Atlanta’s healthy real estate market makes it relatively easy to sell quickly and for a good price almost any time of year, listing at the right time can take weeks off your home’s time on the market — let alone adding thousands of dollars to the final sale price. If you are struggling to figure out the best time to list, the following tips should help.
Spring and Summer Are “Prime Time”
Statistically speaking, the timeframe from mid-spring to early summer typically sees the highest numbers of motivated homebuyers on the hunt. For the seller, this means homes sit fewer days on the market and frequently sell for more than they would at other times of the year. Recent research by Zillow currently puts the “magic window” between May 1 and May 15 for listing a home for sale, claiming that homes stay on the market an average of 18.5 days less and sell for 1 percent more nationwide during that time.
Seasons Are Not Impacted by the City’s Market Fluctuations
Bear in mind that the research mentioned above covers major cities across the entire nation, and every housing market has different variables. Northern cities, for example, tend to see a steeper dip in home sales during the winter months than the southern cities do. Here in Atlanta, the changes of the season have less of an impact on the amount of time a home stays on the market and the closing sales price for two important reasons:
- Our milder climate keeps more homebuyers in the market year-round
- The Atlanta real estate market is particularly robust, keeping demand high
Consult with a Skilled REALTOR®
Every local housing market has its own ebbs and flows when it comes to sales, and time of year is just one factor affecting them. For that reason, hiring a good real estate agent with a strong working knowledge of the Atlanta market can greatly increase your chances for a faster, more profitable sale no matter which time of year. A local agent will have a better understanding of seasonal influences and other market factors to help you find your own “sweet spot” for listing your home. And even if you sell in a so-called “off season,” your agent will know how to present your home on the market to attract the right buyers and get the right price. To consult with a skilled agent about the best time to list your own home, call Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty at 404.948.4812.