Springtime brings a welcome change to the temperatures outside, clearing the winter clouds and making way for sunshine. It also brings more houses to the market, making it an ideal time to take that leap and buy your new home.
There are several reasons buying a home in spring is better than other times of the year. Some of them are obvious, and some are more nuanced. Let’s explore how your home search can blossom with the change in seasons.
There’s More Inventory to Choose From
For starters, you’ll have more homes to choose from as you kick off your new home search in spring, and there are a couple of reasons for that.
Houses show better in the spring than in the winter.
With the brighter days and warmer weather, you get better views of the homes you’re considering. Instead of being covered with snow, you get to see the exterior of the house with its landscaping in full bloom and also get a better handle on its overall condition. Real estate agents know this and will often encourage their clients to list their home in the spring.
Sellers are more motivated to get their house on the market.
As the weather improves, sellers are often more motivated to kick things into high gear, complete any repairs or renovations, and get their homes listed.
With more houses on the market to choose from, the likelihood you’ll find the one that’s just right for your needs increases and the length of time that’s likely to take you decreases.
Families Are Looking to Buy During Spring
This is also the time of year children graduate from schools and colleges, which can mean big moves for families. It’s both an ideal time to sell a home and to buy a new one, aligning with those other big life changes. It also allows you to be moved in and ready for the start of the next school year.
With over half of US households having at least one child in the home, that’s a lot of potential for buying and selling, which helps drive the busy spring market.
Better Weather Makes it Easier to Tour Houses
We can probably all agree it’s better to head out to tour homes on a breezy spring day with the sun beating down than a cold, snowy one in winter. You won’t have to put on your boots and coat, and for most, it’s easier to muster that motivation to hit the road and check out what’s out there.
Aside from the personal factor, you’ll also benefit from seeing the houses you’re touring in more ideal weather conditions. It’s easier to tell what’s in good shape and what might need repair without snow or ice in the mix.
Prices Are Usually on the Rise but not at Their Peak
While it’s true that buying a home in spring comes with the advantage of more inventory to choose from, that increase in inventory paired with better weather does make for more competition. And when there’s more competition, prices start to creep up.
But prices aren’t always trending upwards as quickly as you might think. The National Association of Realtors tracks home sales and prices throughout the country. They’ve found that the peak month for the highest average sale price is June.
So if you’re looking to buy in spring, it can be a great chance to have more options to pick from before prices are at their highest point.
If You’re Ready to Buy Quickly, This is the Time
Buying your new home during the spring season will likely not allow you the luxury of taking time to compare different houses or offers, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
If you go into your spring home shopping knowing that the market is moving fast, you can use it to your advantage. You can find your perfect home, get your offer accepted, close, and move in record time.
Buying a home when it’s right for you and your family is always the best time to buy, but there are advantages to the different seasonal changes of the housing market. You’re now well-positioned to buy a home in the spring and use the season’s market changes to your advantage. Having the right mortgage professional by your side will also bring you a key advantage over other buyers during this busy time for home sales. Get started with our team today.
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