Making the Best of the Worst Month to Sell a House

Most home sellers find that they simply do not have the luxury of choosing to sell during the best time of year to sell a house. Homeowners who want to sell their houses have to find a way to work around many different challenges. These include time constraints, job constraints, and the limitations of the housing market when they list their home for sale.  Sometimes they end up having to list during the worst month to sell a house.

A bad market brings with it a number of odds that may have been overlooked before the actual listing. When you understand what you can do to meet the needs of the market, whether the market is ideal or not, you are able to turn a bad market into a favorable playing ground for the sale of your house. This article will help you better understand the steps you can take to make the best out of a situation that is less than optimal.

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One of the Most Common Mistakes

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Remember that there is a difference between the worst time to sell a house and the worst month to sell a house. The key factor between the two is the size of the market. Spring months are normally considered to be some of the best months to sell your house. This is because it is close to summer, a time when families have more flexible schedules and are more likely to commit to a larger project such as buying a new home. 

However, this is also the time that the market is most saturated with other homes for sale. March may be the best month to sell a house based on weather and many other conditions, but that doesn’t mean every house that is listed will sell. The more competition you have, the less are your chances of selling your house quickly.

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So, when is really the worst month to sell?

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It’s still true that the last months of any season are the weakest markets to sell a house. For example, August, September, and December are weaker months to list your home when compared to other months during the year

However, it pays to be prudent in your research. Look into how many other houses are being listed at the same time as when you are planning to list so that you know when the best time of year to sell a house in your area is. Spring might come with the best conditions for selling your house, but you can’t always guarantee that is when you will have to sell your home. 

When you need to sell your house fast, there are still ways you can make the best of a bad market. First, the appearance of your house still takes precedence. All the spring cleaning that you would do in a March market-do it in September if you must. There are always people looking for houses, and you might end up being surprised who comes in ready to buy.

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Presenting Your House

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One good tip for selling a house quickly is selling a house as-is. Forgo the big changes, such as adding a new coat of paint, redoing the deck, or finishing the basement, and let the house speak for itself. People interested in home makeover projects or flipping houses might see more of an opportunity if you make fewer changes than planned because it will leave them more of a blank canvas. 

Just beware that because there might be fewer people looking for a new house, they might try and control the negotiations. It is important to work with your agent to make sure that the scales do not tip too far out of your favor. When presenting your house, be sure that the outside looks neat and tidy. Trim your hedges and mow your lawn. Be sure to pick up any items that might be on your front lawn, or in your back lawn. Make sure your garden, if you have one, looks neat and has been weeded as well. 

Talk to your real estate agent about the conditions of your market and your needs. Real estate is a fluctuating market which means that it is not always the best time of year to sell a house. Also, just because you are not listing in the exact ideal market doesn’t mean selling your house has to be impossible. As long as you are prepared to conquer the odds you might face, the best month to sell a house may be now. Even during the lowest points of the market, selling your house does not have to be an uphill battle.

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2021 Real Estate from the stats

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According to the United States Census Bureau, most home sales in 2021 happen at the end/beginning of the year. The months of December, January, and February statistically sold the most homes, with home sales peaking in January with 993,000 sold for all regions in the United States.

All regions in the United States followed this trend closely with: 

• The northeast sold the most homes in January and February at 47,000 sales and April with 41,000 sales. 

• The midwest with 124,000 homes sold in January, 104,000 sold in February, and 109,000 sales in March. 

• The west sold 247,000 homes in January, followed by December at 242,000, and closely with November at 241,000 homes.

• The south sits at a comfortable 575,000 homes sold in January alone. 550,000 sales in March and 476,000 in April. The South region is by far the largest region, so it is not shocking to see such a high number of homes sold. 

This doesn’t tell the entire story and is only one metric you should use for your research. It is hard to define “the best” month to sell a house. Are we talking about the best month to sell the house the fastest or for the most money? Just because there are a lot of home sales in January does not mean it is always the best to list your home then. 

Always do your own research on your target market. Look at sites like www.census.gov/construction/nrs/ or www.nar.realtor/ for the most up-to-date research and statistics. Blog posts and articles are not sources, double-check any numbers you find. Including ours!