Spring is the best season to buy or sell a home BY FAR — here’s why

Almost 40% of home sales happen in springtime. In almost poetic symmetry, the season of growth and rebirth is also the perfect time to consider all aspects of your living environment. Below, we’ll explain why.

Spring is not only the season of blossoming flowers and baseball games — it’s also the prime season for everyone involved in a home sale. That’s right — both home buyers and sellers benefit from hitting the market in the springtime.

Initially, you may think this seems like flawed logic. After all, if a seller gets a great deal, doesn’t it stand to reason that the buyer is doomed to pay the price (or vice versa)? Either way, one wins out while the other loses, right?

Wrong.

Any real estate agent worth their salt will tell you that the best deals in real estate aren’t “win-lose” scenarios — they’re “win-win.” When it comes to home-buying, the ideal transaction is one in which both buyer and seller walk away better off than they were the day prior. This is why a good real estate agent is so important.

So how exactly does spring impact the housing market, and what makes it such an ideal time of year for buyers and sellers? Below we’ll discuss the key factors that make this season a real-estate treasure trove.

Spring is the Season of Opportunity for Home Real-Estate Sellers

So much more goes into selling a home than most people initially expect. Many seemingly-small details can alter the course of a good sale into a missed one (or vice versa). This means a number of factors specific to spring — both subtle and obvious — influence the market and its buyers, putting everyone in the best position for a smooth sale.

Spring Is When Home Sellers Get the Best Prices

Every year as winter ends, the housing market is flooded with new properties. What may have been slim pickings just weeks earlier will suddenly seem bountiful. That’s because it’s no secret that spring is the ideal time to sell. It’s the season when housing market inventory reaches its peak, making the widest range of options available.

But this increase in supply doesn’t mean housing prices drop, either — in fact, it’s often just the opposite. This is because demand also explodes in springtime. With tax refunds fresh in hand, buyers flood the market, and there are more than ever in search of the perfect home.

This time of year, buyers are eager to enter the closing process and get moved in during the school year’s off-period, while the weather is ideal to facilitate a move (more on that later). This means that spring is the most competitive market, and the time home sellers are most likely to get the highest possible price for their property.

Home Buyers Are Most Eager in Spring

As you may have gathered, home sales move rather quickly in the spring, and can be quite competitive (which is why we recommend a knowledgeable and experienced real estate agent for both buyers and sellers). But why is that?

First, buyers tend to be much more active after the winter months have ended. As the weather warms up, seasonal depression also melts away (we’re not joking — seasonal depression and related anxiety causes a statistically measurable slump in the economy as a whole).

While mental health improves, the spring sunlight revitalizes buyer energy and enthusiasm. Once again, this is a scientifically measurable phenomenon — when consumers are exposed to more natural sunlight, they have more energy to tour homes and increased mental clarity, which in turn creates a renewed sense of self-assurance in their ability to make healthy financial choices.

The result?

Houses on sale in the spring time are likely to sell an average of 18.5 days faster than in any other season.

Science Proves that Your Home Shows Off the Best in Spring

Not only does the return of sunlight in the spring help buyers with their mental and physical well-being, it also helps sellers display their homes in the (literal) best light possible — which has proven benefits when it comes to obtaining higher offers.

Blossoming flowers and trees alongside bright, green grass make for much prettier showings. Visible and well-kept landscaping is more than just simple curb-appeal — in fact, experts estimate it increases total value by somewhere between 5 and 12 percent.

All that extra value? It sits dormant during the winter, when your landscaping is dead and buried beneath feet of snow.

As an aside, spring makes for excellent marketing photos. If we had our way, all marketing photos would be taken in springtime, no matter the season of the actual sale.

Why Spring is the Time to Buy

Around 40% of all housing sales are made in spring. Both buyers and sellers know it’s the perfect time for a sale, the perfect time to make a big financial decision, and the perfect time to move.

As we mentioned in the seller’s section above, spring is the fastest moving season when it comes to residential real estate. Bear in mind that while the market is favorable and you’ll have the widest selection available of any time of year, it will also be the most competitive season. Bidding wars aren’t uncommon, but you shouldn’t let them discourage you, either. To bypass these obstacles, a skilled realtor can handle the process for you — making the entire home buying process a breeze.

So aside from increased options, what exactly makes spring the season of the buyer? Let’s take a look below.

An Ideal Time to Move

If you’ve moved even once in your life, you’re probably aware that moving is a massive undertaking. Without hiring a team of movers, you’ll likely spend days or even weeks packing and unpacking.

Experts estimate that during a move, the average single-family home packs into somewhere around 100 to 150 boxes, with each box taking about 20–30 minutes to pack. So we did the math for you — ultimately, it means the average home can take anywhere between 33 and 225 hours of labor to move. That’s no small feat — and doesn’t include time spent arguing over who gets the biggest bedroom.

In addition, moving is psychologically taxing for anyone — the location of your home, your safe place, is about to change (not to mention everything that goes with it). For families with children and teens, this is especially relevant, as moving during a child or teen’s critical developmental periods can have extraordinary social, psychological, and academic side effects. Because of this, child psychology experts recommend moving once the school year is over if at all possible.

That’s why spring is the ideal time to move. With the holidays past and the school year over, there are no family obligations or big final exams demanding time or energy. Plus, the weather has warmed enough that the snow is gone, and you won’t be hauling boxes over enormous obstructions. Plus, it should be a mild enough temperature that you don’t wind up overheated (unlike in the summer months).

Want to narrow down how many boxes you’ll personally need to pack? Moving.com has this handy calculator to help you with a more specific number.

With Spring Comes the Widest Selection of Homes on the Market

All in all, it may seem smarter to house hunt in the winter (depending on your personal needs), when prices are lowest and sellers are eager to move their homes quickly. But as we already touched on, the truth about winter house hunting is that good options will be few and far between. Chances are you won’t find your dream home, or even the home that might otherwise be your second or third choice. The market in winter (and even fall) is slim in comparison to the options that come with spring.

Winter weather also causes all sorts of snafus for potential buyers. Hazardous roads and blizzards make scheduling and keeping appointments for showings during the holiday season a nightmare. Because of the snow and cold, inspectors won’t be able to test the AC or check the roof. And the lack of natural daylight makes it difficult for even the keenest of eyes to assess the real ambiance of a home.

In springtime, however, the expansion of the housing market brings with it several essential benefits. You’ll not only be able to find a home that works, but you’re more likely to find the home you want and much less likely to regret your decision as warmer weather rolls around, revealing issues hidden in the winter. You’ll have to navigate competition and negotiate with higher prices, but the trade-off is almost certainly worth it, and that’s where an experienced realtor can make your life a whole lot easier.

There’s Still Time to Get in on the Spring Market

We want to be your real estate consultants through every season of life. So please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or to ask for recommendations or referrals any time of year. And when you’re ready to give yourself the gift of a new home, contact us to talk about your options. From finding the right neighborhood to identifying the amenities that will make the biggest difference in your quality of life, we’re always eager to help. Visit Stark Real Estate Group on the web or give Brenden Stark a call at (616)617–2665.