When is the best time to sell my home?

There is certainly truth to the belief that spring is the best time to sell a property.  Often, in early spring it is a great time to be a seller as there is less competition on the market and an upswing in buyers out looking for a new home.  Historically spring is the best time to sell.  The busiest months are typically April to June.  Sometimes that season can extend from March to about mid July.  Around mid July, especially in Calgary we begin to see the number of sales decrease as Stampede starts up.  Often there is a lull in sales activity during this time as people are more concerned about enjoying Stampede and their summer vacations then they are about buying a home.

Sometimes we see the season extend from early March or into late July, if this happens it is often weather dependent.  If the weather has been poor for the spring then sometimes we can see above average sales in July.

Fortunately spring is not the only time when sales increase.  Once summer is over, kids are back in school and everyone settles back into their routine , we begin to see sales increase.  Sales numbers usually pick up again around the middle of Sept and last until early November.

If you are a buyer and are looking for a 'deal', likely the best time to look for a home is from about mid November to mid February.  By February sellers are starting to get hopeful again for the spring market. 

Christmas can be a great time to list your home, buyers that are searching at that time of year are serious and usually do not have a lot of inventory to choose from.  A 'deal' is relative too, most people associate a deal with getting a deep discount off the asking price, when in reality, a home could be a good deal if it is priced aggressively from the start and remains close to asking price.

More sales in the springtime are evidence that there are more buyers out at that time of year.  There is also more competition the longer you wait to list your home in the spring.  Ideally listing around mid April seems like the best time to get buyers excited about your property.  Reduced inventory and buyers looking to purchase can create multiple offer situations at this time of year.

If you would like to know what your home is worth or more information specific to your home please do not hesitate to contact me.

Tim