Should you sell your house now or wait until spring?

It’s a scary thing, deciding to sell a home. And it can be daunting figuring out when is the best time to do so. Naturally, most people are unsure when it comes to selling a home with so many memories. Almost everyone will be a little hesitant, but if you give into that fear you may miss out on the next step of your journey.

There will always be a reason you can find to not sell right now. The current one is that sales slowdown over the winter. Spring brings a boom in sales, so why not wait? Well turns out that there are lots of things that make now a great time to sell your home. Here are some reasons why you may want to wait.

Relocations

This is going to be a big point for this season. There are a ton of buyers out there yearround, and many are just looking for the perfect home. When they find it, they may pounce on it, but there is no rush to them to buy now. It could take those buyers a year to find the perfect house. However, this season is the season of relocations. People moving because of their new job will not have the lackadaisical approach to waiting for the perfect house. Relocations aren’t just window shopping, they are likely to buy now.

Less competition

Without fail, many people get scared of selling a house when the weather gets a bit colder. The temperature drops, and so do the listings. You know what that means? Competition just dropped off. If you are selling a home during this time, you just jumped up in the line. Those relocation people need a house, and there aren’t a ton of houses that fit their needs.

Sell the ‘homey’ feel

When people are looking at a house, many of them are looking for that special feel - je ne sais quoi. Now, there is not set method how to make that house feel like a home, but starting with holiday settings is always a good step. When you think of home, you think of the holidays. Whether it is a Thanksgiving Meal or Christmas Tree, Home is for the Holidays. Tap into that feeling, sell them a home, not just a house.

Quick turn around

Nothing is worse than a process dragging out. Some on is contracted to buy a house, but they are dragging their feet. If you work in real estate, you will inevitably run into these people.

However, when it comes time for winter and relocations, you don’t have to worry about this as much. They don’t have time, and they need to buy one pronto. This can save you from having the process drag on forever. It’s going to be as smooth as the process can go, because they need a place to live.

Mortgage rates

This year has seen

many rate hikes, and there is likely to be more on the way. Buyers are likely to feel the heat here. It’s not a done deal, but a 60 percent probability of another rate hike in 2017. If this is the case, that would make the 3rd of the year! Buyers are going to be facing higher interest rates on mortgages, and that may lower the price point people are willing to spend. With other rate increases looming, savvy buyers are going to try to lock in rates sooner rather than later. That means buying

now. Not in the spring. Spring could be 2 rate hikes away.

Maureen Hughes is the Lead Listing Specialist of The Wayne Megill Real Estate Team of Keller Williams Brandywine Valley in West Chester. For buyer or seller representation, or for more perspective on the local and national real estate market, please email maureenhughes@kw.com and visit The Wayne Megill Team site at www.waynemegillteam.com.

IMAGE FROM MAURREN HUGHES