Conventional wisdom holds that it's a bad idea to list your home for sale in the winter. Many prospective home sellers are waiting, some patiently, for April so that they can list their homes with the rest of the crowds.
I don't think that's a good idea, and here's why.
Linden, like every town in Union County, typically has a lower inventory in the winter than in the spring. Fewer buyers are strolling through houses casually - those that are out looking are usually the serious ones. You will probably have fewer showings if you list your home in the winter, but the showings that you do have will be more likely to result in a sale.
In Linden, the situation this winter has been interesting. The blue line in this graph shows that inventory was higher this summer than it has been in several years but it's settled down now to a typical winter pattern. There are currently 220 homes offered for sale in Linden but there were as many as 326 in August and September.
Would you rather your home be in a pool of 220 or a pool of 326? There are a limited number of buyers interested in buying homes in Linden. Buyers might visit 10-20 homes before they buy one. If you list your home during the winter, you're increasing your odds that your home will be seen by a potential buyer and therefore increasing your odds that your home will be sold.
What about prices? The average home that sold in Linden in January was sold for $194,026, a bit lower than most of the last 12 months. Prices this summer were higher than they've been in several years, and the upward trend is obvious.
If you want to sell your home for more money than average, then your home has to be worth more than average. You can do some repairs and some cosmetic work, and be sure to hire a real estate agent with an aggressive marketing campaign.
How Long will it take? Once a homeowner has decided to sell, quicker is better. No one wants to have to keep their home in show ready condition for months on end. The good news for Linden homeowners is that January saw the fastest average sell time - 59 days - since May of 2012. The better news is that the trendline, as shown by the light blue line on this graph, indicates continued improvement in Days on Market.
If you are a buyer or a seller interested in a home in Union County, please call Team Zuhl! We're happy to help you in all of your real estate needs!
For more information on selling a home:
For more information on the Linden Real Estate Market:
- September 2015 Market Report for Linden Real EstateLinden Real Estate Market Report - August, 2015
- How Long will it take to Sell My Linden House? July 2015
- Buying or Selling a House in Linden - July 2015
- The Linden Real Estate Market Report for the First Quareter of 2015
- Linden Real Estate Market Report - January, 2015
- Strong Buyers Market in Linden - June 21, 2014
- Linden and Rahway Real Estate - May 17 2014
- Rahway and Linden Real Estate Market Report - April 17, 2014
- Buyers Market in Rahway and Linden - 3/8/2014
- Single Family Homes for sale in Linden and Rahway - 1/1/2014
- The Linden Market Report - 11/2013
- October in Rahway's Real Estate Market - November, 2013
- How's Linden's Real Estate Market? October, 2013
- Linden Real Estate Market Report for August, 2013 - 08/15/13
- Rahway Real Estate Market Report - August 2013 - 08/05/13
- Linden Months of Supply - 07/12/13
- How does the Months Supply in Rahway affect sellers? - 07/10/13
- Sell my home in Rahway! - 07/02/13
- Sell my Linden home! - 06/25/13
- Beautiful 3 BR home in Linden offered for sale! - 06/01/13
- Linden Real Estate Market Report - April, 2013 - 05/26/13
- Rahway Real Estate Market Report - April, 2013 - 05/27/13
- Linden Real Estate Market Report - January-March, 2013 - 04/20/13
- Rahway Real Estate Market Report - January-March, 2013 - 04/05/13
- 602 W. Curtis Street, Linden - 04/04/13
- Rahway, NJ - A brief historical look - 03/04/13
- How long will my Union County home be on the market? - 02/24/13
- The Winter Real Estate Market in Rahway - 02/23/13
- For Sale - 904 Kent Place, Linden - 12/10/12
- Buying or Selling a Home in Rahway, NJ - 01/12/13
- Linden Real Estate Market - 2012 in Review - 01/07/13
- Still a Buyer's Market in Linden! - 10/29/12
- How do additional bathrooms or bedrooms affect market value in Linden? - 10/14/12
- How do additional bathrooms or bedrooms affect market value in Rahway? - 10/15/12
- Free Market Analysis of Linden, NJ - 07/30/12
- Linden, NJ, Market Report - 1st half of 2012 - 07/09/12
- Free Market Report of Rahway Homes! - 08/13/12
- Rahway Market Trends - 03/25/12
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