By Michael Bruce, ceo of Purplebricks
We’ve long been told that summer is the best time of year to put your home on the market if you want the best chance of selling quickly, and achieving a generous price.
Here I share my expert thoughts on whether this is indeed the case, and if so, how you can ensure that your property stands out in a busy market place.
In my experience, any time of the year can be a good time for selling your home providing you market it correctly, and have a proactive estate agent working for you. However, there are certain times of the year when there are less people looking to buy and sell. This could be because of factors such as Christmas, meaning they have less time and are more conscious of money.
Generally speaking, summer is a very good time to sell and there are a number of reasons why.
- It’s Aesthetically Pleasing! Window Box with Black Shutters and Hydrangeas. Image credit Flickr: Spencer Means
- The Weather is Looking Up
- It’s Easy to Wow Freshly Baked Bread. Image credit: Pixabay
- Beat the Autumn ‘exodus’
- But… Beware of potential pitfalls
Summer is a great time of year to present your home to potential buyers to ensure they see it in its full glory. At this time of year, gardens are coming into bloom, meaning it’s much easier to capture the attention of viewers as soon as they set foot on the driveway. It’s amazing the impact that a manicured lawn and a few strategically placed shrubs can have on the overall appearance of your home.
We often talk about the importance of ‘kerb appeal’, and a beautiful summer garden is a fantastic example of how you can master this. If you live in a property without a garden, you can still make the most of the season to entice buyers. Try adding some fresh flowerpots or shrubs to your balcony/entrance porch/window sill – depending on the space you have available.
Typically, at this time of year, the weather starts to improve and the evenings are lighter. Not only does this make us feel more optimistic about life generally, it can also inspire people to get out and finally do the things that they have been planning throughout the winter months.
There are more potential buyers out and about. This coupled with a general upbeat mood means you have a good chance of getting strong interest in your property. The summer season also provides more flexibility in terms of the times you’re available to host viewings at your property, as the evenings stay brighter for longer – so make sure you work with an agent that offers viewings after 5.30pm.
Not only is summer a good time of year for making the outside of your house desirable, there’s also plenty of opportunity to add some finishing touches to the inside of your property. With open houses more popular than ever as a marketing tool, it’s important to make sure your house really has the ‘wow factor’ when potential buyers come knocking on mass.
A really simple but effective tip is to take advantage of seasonal flowers – such as daffodils – and strategically place them throughout your home. Flowers, warm baked bread and freshly ground coffee are all inviting smells. These can make all the difference to potential buyers when viewing your home, and will seem particularly appealing on a gorgeous summer day.
Another reason why the property market is so busy during the summer time is because people want to move and get settled in before the chaos of the new school term in September, and the lead-up to Christmas and New Year. Although this means there will naturally be more competition, it also means that many people will be looking to move quickly, and therefore are perhaps more likely to go straight in with asking price offers.
While there are several key reasons why summer is a great time to sell property, the crowded market place means that you need to be on top of your game if you want your house to stand out from the crowd. It sounds obvious, but bright summer days mean your home will be flooded with extra light. On one hand, this can be great for showing off how bright and airy your home is, however it can also highlight minor problems such as mould, damp and unwashed windows and mirrors.
A great tip to avoid this is, prior to any viewings, ask a friend or relative round to your home (preferably on a sunny day) to carry out a mock viewing. As the person walks around they can help you identify any small problems – such as the above – that you may not have noticed before.
Feature image credit: Alan Godfrey