The Pros and Cons of Selling Your House in the Fall

 

The Pros of Selling a House During the Fall

Here are several pros of selling a house during the fall months. Call, email, or text me to discuss options for you. [email protected] or (416) 627-3439

1. The Home Will Show Well in the Fall

Rarely do homes look better than during the autumn months. The colorful leaves, fall decor (think: pumpkins) and seasonal flowers are enough to enhance any home’s appearance. For sellers, this means that curb appeal will be at its peak, and so will a buyer’s interest. To ensure that your home is looking its best, we also recommend prepping it before you list it. A little yard work, tree pruning, decluttering and staging can go a long way in improving the appearance of a home.

2. The Weather Is Ideal for Moving

Moving during the hot summer months can be a hot sweaty pain. Moving during the winter months can be downright dangerous. But moving during the fall? That's pretty much perfect. Not only is the weather ideal for outdoor moving conditions, but the roads should be free of ice and snow as well. With mild, cool temperatures in most parts of the country during the fall months, you should be able to relocate to a new home without breaking a sweat.

3. You Might Be Able to Settle Into Your New House Before the Holidays

There's nothing more inconvenient than having to move to a new home during the middle of the holiday season. If you want to be settled into a home before Christmas, we recommend listing your home in the summer or early fall months. Assuming a buyer bites quickly, you may be able to sell and move before the holiday season.

4. You Can Take Advantage of Lower Moving Costs

With peak moving season behind you, movers will be less in demand than they were during the summer months. For those moving during the fall, this drop in demand could mean lower moving costs and cheaper prices. To maximize your savings, we also recommend moving mid-month and mid-week when rates are lower.

The Cons of Selling a House During the Fall

 

Parents of school-age children will find it more difficult to move during the fall months. Showing the home to potential buyers will also be harder when children are participating in virtual school from home and/or school homework. For this reason, many sellers prefer to list their homes during the summer months when showings are easier. Buyers may also be less inclined to purchase a home and move during the fall months due to this inconvenience.

2. You May Have to Lower the Listing Price

Just like the weather, the housing market tends to cool off during the fall months. Unfortunately for sellers, this drop in demand often means a drop in prices as well. In general, sellers are less likely to maximize their home's selling price during the fall. So if you're considering listing your home on the pricier side, you may want to think twice before adding that extra zero. The silver lining? If the seller is also buying a home during the fall, they're more likely to score a good deal on a property.

3. It May Limit Your Holiday Decorating

Ready to deck the halls with all of your Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decors? Given that homes tend to sell faster and for more money when there's less junk inside, sellers may want to think twice before outfitting the home in holiday decorations. If you do need to sell your home during the holiday season, we recommend keeping holiday decor to a minimum. Declutter the rest of the house before setting up your decorations as well.

4. The Holidays May Limit Mover Availability

While moving during the early fall weeks probably won’t be an issue, moving during late fall could mean less mover availability. Many moving companies give their employees holidays (including those holiday weekends) off of work. With several holidays occurring during the fall (think: Columbus Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving), you may have trouble nailing down a moving date that works for both you and the mover. During the holiday months, weekend moving dates may be especially hard to reserve.

 

Thanks to Michael Wayne Jackson.