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Isn’t This a Bad Time to List?

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Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs TX Broker 0513551

Home For Sale with RE/MAX

I bumped into a couple I know today. They know we’re Plano real estate agents and asked about listing their home. They were struggling with the timing. Do they list now or wait until the spring?

Traditional thinking is that the March-April timeframe is the best time to list a home. Since there are lots of buyers out looking, it’s a good time to be listed. While I agree with the basic thought, off-season listing can be more effective.

While there are not as many buyers out looking this time of year, the inventory of homes also drops dramatically. Sellers are pulling their homes from the market for the holidays with the intention of putting them back on in the spring.

New listings in the off-season have less competition and while there are fewer buyers, those who are out looking are usually serious about buying a home.

Think of it as Economics 101. While demand is lower, the supply of available homes is also down. Many of the listings that are on the market are vacant or distressed. You can take advantage of this by making sure your home is properly staged and show-ready. You only get one chance to make that first impression.

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Please contact us at 214-705-2470 if you have any questions or want to know the value of your home.

Tom Branch, Broker, CDPE, SFR

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Originally posted at http://www.thebranchteam.com/wordpress/2011/11/25/isn%e2%80%99t-this-a-bad-time-to-list/

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Tom Branch and Gina Branch, The Branch Team with RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs, service the greater North Dallas suburbs including Dallas, Plano, Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Lewisville, and Carrollton.  While Gina concentrates on traditional listings and buyer/tenant representation, Tom specializes in assisting distressed homeowners to avoid foreclosure.  Tom and Gina have published two books (Achieving Rock Star Status and The Field Guide to Short Sales) and are available for speaking engagements in the greater Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex. Subscribe to The Branch Team Blog.

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Comments (7)

Chuck Carstensen
RE/MAX Results - Elk River, MN
Minnesota/Wisconsin Real Estate Expert

We have low inventory now so certain listings can really stand out for the buyers who are looking and it seems like buyers this time of year are more serious.

Nov 25, 2011 01:41 PM
Cathy Criado
Criado Realty - San Antonio, TX
Making Real Estate Profitable

Tom, You make a very valid an educated point. There are buyers year around but Nov- Feb has the lowest inventory making those listed more likely to sell and at hifher sale to list ratio. 

Nov 25, 2011 01:47 PM
Kathy Toth
Ann Arbor Market Center Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts - Kathy Toth Team

In the Ann Arbor real estate market, here in Michigan, there is a turnover of faculty and staff based on the Semester of that particular University.  I say it is always a good time to list! 

Nov 25, 2011 01:57 PM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease
Tom, It still works to list any property this time of year. We are seeing incredibly low inventories. In fact a number of years ago, we got two offers on our home the week after Christmas. The buyers thought we were making it up, but we were not. All the best, Michelle
Nov 25, 2011 03:14 PM
Rose King
David Tracy Real Estate - Friendswood, TX
Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area

Hi Tom! It's hard to convince sellers that people DO buy houses in November, December and January! One of my listings just withdrew this week, waiting to put it back on the market in February or March.

Nov 25, 2011 03:31 PM
Loreena and Michael Yeo
3:16 team REALTY ~ Locally-owned Prosper TX Real Estate Co. - Prosper, TX
Real Estate Agents

While I understand what you said, I've sold homes less than 14 days in January/ February. I do think, in the end when priced right, it sells at any time of the year.

Nov 25, 2011 10:26 PM
Larry Story ALC
Total Care Realty - Greensboro, NC
Beneath it all is the Land, Covering all of NC

Tom,

 

So very true.  I have found that I have an unusually high amount of buyers this time of year.  As you point out many people will take their homes off the market this time of year for the holidays or to let the listing "rest" since this is a slow time of year. WRONG ANSWER it is not slow.

Nov 27, 2011 04:11 PM