Most home sellers think that the best time to sell a home is during the spring season. This is not always true.

The best month to see a home depends on the market in which you are selling. Also, home sellers have different attitudes when it comes to selling a home, depending on the season.

During winter, home sellers tend to be more serious and up against deadlines. During fall, home sellers charge for repairs at lower rates because there is less competition. During summer, when there are lots of competition, home sellers think it is high time to sell a home because families move in and out of places before school starts. In short, the best time to list your home greatly depends on your situation and location.

Consider the location of your CT luxury waterfront real estate for sale

Whenever you are selling your home, always remember that the best time of the year to sell a property fast and for the most money hugely depends on where you live. While most home sellers believe that the best time is during the spring, that does not ring true in all places. For instance, in Phoenix, Florida, Southern California and Texas, spring is the worst time to sell a home because that is when weather gets really intense in those areas—Heat index triples, and hurricanes and tornadoes turn up.

Because location matters in a home sale, you need to consider the pros and cons of selling a home during each season. Research the best time of the year to put a home on the market in your region and stick to that.

Increase your CT waterfront home value in different seasons

Different seasons influence many of our activities throughout the year. Summer evokes visions of the beach and water activities, while winter brings memories of an open fireplace and a cozy atmosphere. Although certain activities are considered “seasonal,” could this be also true about your CT waterfront home value when selling?

When it comes to waterfront homes, each season definitely has its advantages. Increasing your property’s value is a matter of strategic staging to make it appealing regardless of the season you decide to put your home on the market. Here are a few things for you to consider:

Spring

Blooming flowers and picturesque views during this season can increase the number of interested buyers. The milder weather also encourages more activities outside and makes it a great time to have open houses. Make sure the gardens are at their best to welcome guests.

Many home sellers think that the best time to sell a home is during springtime because usually, homes sell during the first two weeks of May. In most places, home sellers can expect to sell up to 18.5 times faster than any other month of the year and for 5.9 percent more.

There are also places where it is better to sell a home around April or June than May. But while springtime is a great time to sell a home, there are still cons to it. Here are the pros and cons of selling a home during this season:

Pros:

• It gives you more funds for all the necessary renovations and repairs because tax refunds usually come in the late winter or early spring
• In most places where spring is characterized by warmer weather and longer days, more home buyers go out to search for homes they can buy
• Curb appeal naturally improves during spring, because this is when trees, flowers and frass bloom. This is also the time of the year when less much gets tracked into homes
• It allows you to beat the rush as you get ahead of summer competition
• This is the season when kids finish the school year, so buyers also close on homes
• This season is the season when buyers prepare for their next move, so they are likely to search for and purchase homes

Cons:

• There are locations where it is still rainy, snowy and muddy during springtime
• Competition is fiercest during this season, so if the property you are selling has flaws, it may be harder for you to sell
• If your home sells quickly, chances are you will have to pull your kids out of school immediately
• Weather is unpredictable during spring in some areas, so open houses tend to get all messed up
• This is the time of the year when most homeowners take on major renovations or host spring events. That makes parking hard for potential buyers

Summer

Waterfront homes are sought after during the warmer months because they offer respite from the heat. This is the best time to highlight activities and amenities that waterfront homes have to offer like picnics, boating, fishing, etc. Stage your property as the perfect getaway for summer which will increase its home value during this season.

Like spring, this season is also a good time to sell a home because in some regions, June proves to be the best time for home closing. In fact, based on records, June 28 is the most likely day of the year when homebuyers close a home.

There are a lot of other reasons why summer is one of the best seasons to sell a home, although mid-June and late-August are also characterized by listing drawbacks in some regions. Here are the pros and cons of selling your home during summer:

Pros:

• More daylight hours and predictable weather in most areas mean more time for home showings
• Schedules of home sellers and homebuyers are most flexible during the summer because it is the time of the year when they take vacations and have more time after work hours to attend showings or open houses
• During this season, buyers have this unusual sense of urgency to get their kids settled before school resumes
• It is also the time of the year when data from home spring sales is most available, so it becomes easier for home sellers like you to price your home
• Because their buying windows are closing, buyers tend to make more competitive offers and move faster to close

Cons:

• Weather in certain areas is very hot during summer, making it not conducive for potential homebuyers to search around for homes
• There are regions where competition is very high during summer, so buyers demand more concessions and features
• Since it is vacation times, some buyers would rather rest than look for homes in your area
• There is a chance for higher costs of showing because summer means having to kick up the air conditioning of your home
• If you are selling your home during summer, your kids may hate you for keeping your pools and other outdoor spaces constantly show-ready
• During summer, professionals like real estate agents, landscapers and contractors are usually busier than usual. This tends to drive up selling costs more.

Autumn

With Connecticut’s brilliant fall foliage, this season brings plenty of visitors who want to experience this autumn beauty. Take advantage of the changing colors and beautiful scents and invite potential buyers to experience the relaxing atmosphere of a waterfront home away from the busy metro.

Although in most regions, fall is not the best time of the year to sell a home, it is for other regions. In some places, it is scorching hot from April through summer.

Your home may not be family-friendly or you may live on the coast, where some areas can be foggy and cold all summer but warm and beautiful in the fall. You may also live in an area where yards tend to be spectacular because of changing colors. If this is the case, then fall might be the best time for you to list your home. Here are the pros and cons of selling your home during fall:

Pros:

• There is less inventory and competition from other home sellers
• Serious buyers who fail to purchase a property during spring and summer are motivated to close during fall
• Costs for fixing up homes tend to get lower this season, giving you more access to professionals who can help you with your repairs and renovations
• This is the best time to make home listing images vivid with fall foliage and décor to make them stand out from the competition
• This is also the time when safety increases because it is a prime season for the end of home burglaries

Cons:

• Because there is less competition during fall, buyers tend to get more demanding
• Market slows as school resumes, and people settle in for winter
• In some areas, fall is characterized by colder, wetter weather. This and snow keep buyers away
• It is also around this time of the year that curb appeal usually disappears as trees lose leaves, flowers die and grass turns brown
• Heating costs go up as you try to keep your home warmer for house hunting
• During fall, landscapes are hardest to maintain as leaves keep falling and foliage continues to deteriorate

Winter

Though the colder months are not as inviting, it is the season with the least amount of listings in the market which means less competition. Make sure to highlight features that present well during the winter like a fireplace, a spa bathroom, or an indoor-outdoor living which makes your property a place of relaxation even on the coldest winter days.

During the cold weather, people tend to shiver. They also do when it comes to the idea of selling a home during this season. This is because in most areas, this is the time of the year when properties are hardest to sell.

If you are living in resort areas like Florida, Arizona, Southern Nevada and ski towns, however, you might be surprised to know that winter is the best season to sell a home. Either way, if you understand the advantages and disadvantages of selling a home in winter, it might be the best time of the year to sell a home for you. Here are the pros and cons of selling your home during winter:

Pros:

• Highly motivated buyers want to take advantage of tax breaks and close on homes during winter
• Since there is less inventory during this season, there is lower competition for buyer attention. This is especially true for off-season markets
• Buyers who are relocating need to find a home to start new jobs or grab other opportunities somewhere between December and February
• Top real estate agents who are looking for year-end sales rise during winter, pushing them to take on the challenge of selling your home
• Giving your property a holiday feel allows buyers to envision living in your home during winter
• Snow can also cover some of the uglier features of your yard, so that means less work for you

Cons:

• Selling in winter in hot markets involves more competition
• Buyers during this time of the year are usually thrift shoppers
• Curb appeal is not the best during winter, as landscapes are covered with snow
• Buyers in some areas tend to just focus on the holidays and hibernate than search for homes
• Days are shorter during winter
• Some buyers think that it is not the best time to buy a home because moving after a home purchase is hard because of the cold weather
• it is the worst time of the year for renovations and repairs
• It is inconvenient to keep your home ready for showings while enjoying the holidays with your kids

Knowing your CT waterfront home value

When it comes to selling, the value of your waterfront home is basically how much a buyer is willing to pay for it. Having an idea of how each season can influence your home value is important.

There is definitely no hard and fast rule as to what season is the best time for selling. The help of a Realtor® who specializes in waterfront homes, like me, will ensure that you get the right price for your property.

Are you ready to sell? Call me, Deborah Laemmerhirt at (203) 994-4297.

​In case you can not view this video here, please click the link below to view ​CT Waterfront Home Values: When is the Best Time to Sell? on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F53jIqbSsF8.