What makes our selling seasons so distinct in these parts of the world?
In more temperate climates, do they experience the busy/quiet/busy cycles that we do? It would be interesting to see how our local real estate market would behave without the influence of our hot summers and cold winters. The question there I suppose is would we behave differently? Would we be more open to moving or buying or selling in January or October rather than when the majority of us choose to move.
The reason this subject is raised is we are looking at our market as of right now. We are just past New Year’s Eve with the dust still settling from the holidays. Kids are getting back to school and we are plowing head first into the heart of winter. The number of homes being listed for sale are typically a lot lower than we will see in another 75 or 90 days. Buyers aren’t as active as they will be once the white stuff disappears. As a seller of any product though, when is the ratio of available inventory vs. legitimate buyers better?
Is it better to list on January 2nd when you are one of 5 or 6 new listings versus April 10th when you may be one of 25 or 30 new listings? Regardless of the number of buyers, it is certainly an easier task to distinguish yourself amongst the competition when there are less of them.
Every year at this time, it is always interesting to see our local real estate market have a bit of a snooze and then wake back up and get moving. Some years the snooze lasts all of 7 or 8 days. Some years, like 2012 (or 2011…memory lapse), the market was in a long slumber thanks to a strange winter and nasty, wet spring that seemed to delay the market by a few months.
So for this year, we shall see. Regardless, we are still big believers in getting out in front of any competition.
If you’re looking at moving this spring, take a run at the market in the winter…you may be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.
If we can help, contact us anytime.
Thank-you
THEbTEAM
...and thank-you to Sylvia Prats for the photo.