It’s an age-old question, open to rampant speculation and untrained opinion! The reality is that the best time to sell is a combination of when you are ready to and when there are as few as possible houses like yours on the market. This may not be the answer you were looking for, but knowing this will save you a lot of time and ensure you take a more discerning and strategic approach to when to sell your home.
The key considerations are timing and presentation. What does that mean? Well… timing is more about your individual situation than the market in general. Presentation is about the overall appearance of the property and how great it will look in all the advertising and promotion your estate agency will be coordinating, to sell your house for the best price possible.
Timing
How urgent is it that you sell the house? Is it going to disrupt family plans such as year 12 exams, or an overseas trip? Does it make sense to sell while your mother in law is staying for 3 months or will that put unnecessary stress on the situation? Do you have the time to commit to the process now or would it be better in 6 months, when things have settled down a bit at work?
Selling a home is not a huge job but it does require a mental commitment, as well as some of your dedicated time, especially for things like presentation and showcasing for inspections. The decision about when to sell should first be based on your own schedule, or the anticipated needs of the family unit in the expected time period; and secondly be based on what kind of properties are currently on the market and how they compare to yours. The ideal is that yours comes across as unique at the time, driving the price up, due to lack of other properties of its standard on the market.
Presentation
To achieve the results you want, the house must be presented at its very best throughout the sale process – from the marketing materials, to the open inspections and auction day, if applicable.
Some gardens don’t always look their best in late summer; particularly in Australia’s dry conditions so waiting until mid-autumn might be better. A property may radiate dream home vibes on a clear sunny day, but if it’s spring and every 3rd house in your area is on the market too, then the timing defeats the purpose.
There’s also the interior to consider – can you manage to finally sort through all that junk in the spare room in time? Does your sale time mean that painters and tradesman will be traipsing through the house while 4 kids are cluttering up the place on school holidays? Are you going to need to bring in some rental furniture for the period of time the property is on the market, and is this within your budget?
The short answer to the question about when to sell is don’t believe the hype. Find a local agent who is experienced and knows your area well. They can advise you on any improvements that might benefit your sale price, and information that will contribute to the timing of the sale if works will be required. Get up to date market insights from them and advice about the most strategic time to sell based on your circumstances.
DISCLAIMER
The following advice is of a general nature only and intended as a broad guide. The advice should not be regarded as legal, financial or real estate advice. You should make your own inquiries and obtain independent professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances before making any legal, financial or real estate decisions. Click here for full Terms of Use.