When is the best time to put a for sale sign in front of my home?

The short answer is now. There are always buyers in all price ranges house hunting, either online, visiting open houses or working with a Realtor, even now in the cold of winter.

I went to an open house the day before Christmas Eve: a single-family with four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, nearly 3,000 square feet in Mid-City Stamford with an asking price under $500,000.

You could tell the seller of this home was motivated to sell since they had lowered the asking price nearly $30,000 just a week before Christmas. It went on the market in late October. The home is likely to sell soon because of the price cut.

Traditionally, though, the most active time to sell a home is the spring but this means more homes will be up for sale and more buyers home hunting then because the weather is improving. Additionally, many families considering buying a new home will be eyeing the market, beginning their search well before the next school year begins in the fall. Also, many buyers are not fazed by inclement weather simply because they need a new home ASAP.

It might be a job transfer or personal situation that leads them to need to move sooner rather than later. Many sellers want to take advantage of such motivated buyers and put their home on the market as soon as they can and not wait for the so-called Spring market.

But you shouldn’t decide on one day to put your home on the market and then start showing it to prospective buyers the next.

Preparation is necessary and there are items that need attention first. These include:

1. De-cluttering.

2. Making necessary repairs and painting.

3. Staging.

4. Improving outside “curb appeal” and landscaping.

5. Selecting a Realtor.