“Should I sell now or wait?”
As a seasoned realtor, I've been asked this question more times than I can count, but my answer is always the same. The best time is to sell whenever you are ready. People buy and sell homes every month of the year. However, if your timeline allows, you can strategically try to get top dollar for your home.
The most important thing to do is work with an experienced real estate agent who understands how the quarters of the year work. Here are a few things every prospective buyer and seller should know about real estate heat cycles around the Lake Norman area.
Quarter 1 (January- March)
The beginning of the new year is an exciting time. Everyone has new dreams, new goals, and new motivations. This post-holiday period is a time when buyers
are ready to shop around. If you are a parent, then you know that families are in the process of setting up summer schedules based on their kid's calendar.
Q1 is such a critical time of year for families with kids. The bottom line is that if a new home is in the future, now is the time to get your home on the market. Many people are ready to begin house-hunting around mid-February, so take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.
My idea is to help my clients get their homes on the market by February 1st to beat all the competition and be prepared for those mid-February or early March buyers.
Quarter 2 (April-June)
Welcome to the spring market! Q2 is the time of year when families hustle to sell their homes. There's a lot of pressure to sell and get into a new house to get the
kids in a school district before the new school year begins in August. Many families face a tight time frame (about ten weeks) from when school gets out to when school starts. Family-style homes in top school districts are always in demand, especially during Q2.
Quarter 3 (July- September)
If you have yet to sell your family-style house by now, you might have missed the sweet spot! Now, kids are wrapping up summer, and school is starting back up, especially in Lake Norman (FYI: most schools return in early to mid-August.) Once school starts, families get sucked into busy fall schedules again, and it's easy to put moving on the back burner. On the upside, this is a time of year when many grandparents and retirees are looking to move further south for a mild winter or to be closer to their families.
Quarter 4 (October- December)
There is a seasonal impact when it comes to real estate in any market. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, regions with cold or intense winters do experience a seasonal dip comparatively. For example, in the South and Southwest, the 'slow season' still gets 71% of peak-season activity (compared to only about 60% for the Midwest and Northeast regions.
Thankfully, Lake Norman is a year-round destination, and we have relatively mild winters, making Q4 an appealing time to sell.
Have Questions About When To Sell Your Home? Let’s Chat!
As I said, the right time to sell is when you are ready. As much as we analyze the dynamics of each quarter, there';s no perfect time. Let's connect if the thought of selling your home in Mooresville, Davidson, Denver, or Cornelius has crossed your mind. We can discuss your timeline and needs and develop a plan for success.