22 November 2019

When should I sell?

When should I sell?

When should I sell? Is it the right time for you to move?Moving house is often listed as one of the most stressful stages of life, aside from getting married!Maybe that’s because when it comes to selling your home, you need the same levels of commitment as you do in marriage.

To succeed, you need to be 100% motivated ahead of this next big step.

After all, for better or worse, there are many hurdles to overcome along the way; it is not a process for the fainthearted, although any good agent should of course support you throughout the process.

Here we shed some light on factors that could help you decide whether the time is right to go on the market.

1.

Wish or whim?How long have you been thinking about moving house?Is this a deep-seated spark of desire that has been on the slow-burn and is now catching fire? Or is it a sudden, snap reaction to other external factors?Has your friend recently moved house and you too would like a fresh-start?Take a moment to consider the pros and cons and implications, both financial and emotional, that moving house right now could have.

Whilst a growing family can often be the spur behind a house move, timing that move so that it causes the least financial and physical disruption to your family is key.

2.

Why do you want to sell?Are you preparing to downsize, relocate or are you planning a family?The reasoning behind your potential move is crucial, as is the timing of its execution.

For downsizers, the decision can be a tricky one.

Perhaps you have recently said farewell to the last of the brood to fly the nest.

The house suddenly seems so quiet.

Is now the time to take your life plans off the back burner and make that move to a smaller, more economic home?Spending less time cleaning empty rooms will certainly be a plus point.

Perhaps you want to swap those three double bedrooms for a studio.

It might make sense to make the move now, before the next chapter begins and grandchildren are in the offing!If you are planning to have children, it is only natural to desire more space for your expanding family.

For those already with children, their ages will factor greatly into the timing of your house move.

Keeping disruption to your child’s education, particularly if you are locating to a new area, is crucial to a successful move.

Pros and cons exist for moving at all ages; babies and toddlers are adaptable and can handle the changes with ease – yet older children are able to help with the packing! For teenagers with close local links, timing is crucial.

No move is without its complications, but do take the time to consider exam dates and how a move will impact on your child’s school life, hobbies and interests before putting up that for sale sign.

3.

Which season is best for selling your home?Your mind is made up.

You are moving house.

But when is best to move?Placing your property on the market before Christmas is a great way of beating the January rush when there is typically a spike in people looking to move.

Rightmove always sees a ‘Boxing Day bounce’ in website traffic with the period between Christmas and New Year also notoriously busy.

Looking ahead further into next year, and historically speaking, spring is oft cited as the premium time in which to put your home on the market.

Key ‘hot points’ occur around the Easter and May bank holidays.

The benefits to selling at this time of year are easy to recognise: the days are long, the sun is (usually) shining, the blossom is blooming and properties generally look at their finest.

Autumn is the season of change and that goes doubly so for house sales, with people keen to move on before Christmas.

So whenever you’re thinking about selling your home, buyers will be out there!4.

Monday’s house is fair of face…You might feel sluggish when the alarm clock goes off at 7:00am on a Monday morning, but according to Which?Money analysis published in 2017, Monday is the best day of the week to sell your house!According to the survey, properties listed on a Monday took only 176 days to sell compared to an average of 191 days.

The same research suggested that properties listed on a weekend took longer to sell, with Saturday listings taking an average of 203 days to sell and Sunday homes taking 213 days to sell.

With much at stake emotionally and financially, finding the right guidance when selling your home can make all the difference.

If you want to know whether now is the right time for you to start a fresh chapter, please get in touch.

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