Does seasonality matter when selling a home?

Why seasonality matters in real estate

Sellers often think they should wait until spring to put their home up for sale, because that’s when the real estate market heats up. It’s a belief based on the fact that, traditionally, most real estate transactions take place in the spring or fall. By listing during the busy season, sellers believe they can capitalize on increased buyer interest.

As temperatures warm, more people head out to weekend open houses. Sellers feel they can better showcase their home—especially if their lawn or backyard is a selling feature. And families, who want to avoid disruptions during their kids’ school year, aim to move in the summer by completing their search in the spring. All of these are big drivers of spring sales.

But you can’t always time life in this way. Sometimes you have to move in the winter—and here’s why that’s not the end of the world.

The benefits of selling your home in the winter 

Listing when the market has slowed down has its advantages. Remember, quieter times mean there are fewer listings to distract from your own. If there are fewer competing listings, your home may still generate significant attention and interest among the smaller group of winter buyers. In fact, it’s possible to have a harder time in the spring, when there are more sellers and more competition for buyers’ attention. 

If you’re in a market without a lot of turnover, it may not matter when you list, since there will be potential buyers eagerly looking in your area year-round. A desirable location is always desirable, regardless of the season.

If you decide to sell in the winter, there are things you can do to ensure your home stands out. Before you choose an agent, make sure they understand the value of staging and professional photography, and that these services are included in their package. Ask them to share how successful they have been at selling homes in similar markets that season.

When it’s worth waiting until the spring

Of course, there are smart reasons you might want to wait until spring to sell. 

On top of the increased market activity, the season may impact the overall appeal of your home. For example, if you have a beautiful yard, the spring and summer weather can help you showcase its charm. Waiting may also help you overcome the wintertime challenge of shorter days. If your home has curb appeal, it may not have the same impact on buyers who see it at night. Bear in mind the opposite is also true—if your home’s exterior needs work, the snow and darkness could help draw less attention to it in the winter.

There are ways to mitigate these challenges if you absolutely need to sell in the winter. It can be as easy as remembering to include summer or daytime photos of your yard and exterior in your listing to give buyers a sense of your home at its best.

Strategies for succeeding as a seller in the winter—or any season

There are steps you can take to successfully sell your home, even when real estate activity slows down.

Listen to your agent 

Remember that there isn’t one right time to sell a home—you’ll have to consider the specific market you’re selling in, and there are a number of underlying factors that can influence demand. An experienced real estate agent will recommend the ideal time to sell your house based on market trends and conditions in your area.

List when inventory is low

Although it’s impossible to precisely time the market, if you’re able to declutter and stage your home quickly, you can ask your agent to let you know when inventory is low in your market, and list then. That will attract more attention and excitement as buyers compete over limited listings. 

Consider your market

If you live in a hot market, things like seasonality and having a perfectly updated home often aren’t that important, since bigger factors like the neighbourhood and the property’s size carry the most weight. In that case, listing in a winter market won’t affect interest in your home. 

Get your home ready to sell

If you’re considering selling this year, connect with an agent who can help you strategize how best to list your home. You can then get started on doing the updates and decluttering needed to showcase your property best. Whether you list next month or 11 months from now, you’ll have a clear idea of what’s involved in preparing your home for a sale. With most of my clients, decluttering is often the biggest delay. You may miss out on your seasonality entirely if you don’t think about what it takes to sell before setting a timeline. 

Is seasonality still important? It depends.

Ultimately, whether seasonality is an important factor in selling your home depends on your market, your home and your expectations.

Waiting until spring may help showcase your home when it’s at its best. But if you’re set on selling in the winter, there are creative ways to get around the drawbacks that come with a dip in market activity. In some cases, you may even find selling in the winter results in more buyer interest or a higher sale price—say, if there’s low inventory in your market or if the snow helps hide your property’s lacklustre curb appeal. What’s important is to get the advice of a professional who knows your market—and then do what’s best for you.

This response was provided by Zoocasa Realty real estate broker Carlos Moniz.

Agent Insights is written by agents from Zoocasa Realty, a MoneySense content partner. Zoocasa is a full-service brokerage that offers advanced online search tools to empower Canadians with the data and expertise they need to make more successful real estate decisions. View real estate listings on zoocasa.com or download our free iOS and Android apps.

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• “Should we refinance our mortgage?”

About Zoocasa

Zoocasa is an award-winning consumer real estate search portal. It uses data and technology to deliver an intelligent, end-to-end real estate experience.