We hear from home sellers all the time that are fraught with indecision. “But we heard that if…” and “My friend said that every time…”; There’s really no shortage of home selling myths keeping homeowners up at night.
There are a lot of summer home selling myths that simply don’t hold water. Here are four misconceptions about selling in summer you should immediately toss out the window.
- No one buys houses in the summer.
Why does this myth exist? Because spring gets all the house-selling glory (it’s historically the best selling season of the year.) There’s a misconception that families don’t want to move mid-summer just before school starts, and that buyers avoid looking in summer because they’re out of town on vacation. Statistically, summer is a very good month for real estate: buyers have more time than usual to browse online and visit listings and inventory typically tends to climb around August. - The heat keeps people from looking at homes.
That’s just silly. Yes, it can get hot, but the weather doesn’t generally keep anyone from doing everyday activities in summer. The heat can actually give sellers an opportunity; presenting a well-cooled, light-filled home can be what wins buyers over! And since summer’s daylight hours last longer, there are more chances throughout the day for bright and sunny showings. Win-win! - There are kids everywhere. No buyers want to deal with the chaos!
Is your neighborhood full of kids on bikes, dog walkers, and renovation crews right now? Good! An active, lively neighborhood is what a lot of buyers are looking for; summer is a great season for showing off the community feel of your area. Play it up: If you’ve got an ice cream shop within walking distance, say so. If your patio is idea for grilling, stage it. - People are just looking casually. There are no serious buyers in summertime.
Au contraire! In fact, buyers in summer tend to be some of the most serious. There’s generally a high sense of urgency for buyers who want to get their family settled before a new job or new school year. This summer, interest rates are still low but poised to go up again, so buyers might be incentivized to snap to it.
Summer is actually a great time to sell your home. Remember, even in a hot seller’s market, you still have to present your best foot forward. Clean your home well, renovate as necessary, and hire a local staging professional to get top-dollar (or better yet, multiple offers!)
How can Creative Home Stagers help you this summer?