Selling your home in the spring is usually best for most homeowners.  The time of year isn’t just blooming with flowers but also buyers!

Starting in March and going through July, the real estate market is in full force throughout Santa Cruz County. Just about anyone who is looking for a home is hitting open houses.

If you’re thinking of selling your home this year, then try to aim for listing your home by then. Here are five reasons why spring is the perfect time to start preparing to sell your home:

1. More Convenient for Buyers

You hear about “location, location, location” when it comes to real estate. But “timing, timing, timing” should be up there as well.  Spring is much better time of year for most buyers to start to focus on moving. It’s that simple.

Most buyers want to get settled into a new home before a school year begins. Buying in spring and having the summer to get adjusted appeals to many families. Also, it’s the perfect time to get into a second/vacation so it’s ready to enjoy in the summer.

Even those without kids find this time of year better for taking time off of work to move, etc. With the lull of summer approaching, it means many buyers can catch their breath after the rush of looking for a home and moving.

And because of all of this, more buyers are out there looking at homes in the spring. And more buyers mean more opportunities for you to sell your home in a timely manner.

2. Longer Days

We spring forward in March and the days get longer but in a good way. More sunlight and more time for buyers to go out and about looking at homes … such as yours.

Buyers tend to hibernate during the winter months and prep themselves for these warmer days to look at homes. You’ve got a whole pool of potential buyers who’ve done their homework, got their financing set, and will use these longer days wisely each weekend.

Plus house hunting in warm sunny weather is just much more fun and productive than other times of the year.  Everyone is in a better mood and dreaming of a new home.

3. Better Curb Appeal

You have to admit it, your home looks its best in the spring. Right? If you have a yard with flowering trees and green grass … why wouldn’t a buyer fall in love with it!

That’s why sellers take advantage of this “free” bonus of better curb appeal in the spring. You always want to highlight your home’s best features and draw in buyers who can imagine themselves living there. Your patio, deck, porch, balcony, or yard can look so much more inviting right now than at other times of the year.

4. Higher Prices and Better Comps

More buyers means more competition from other buyers … which means more chances for bidding wars and, ultimately, a higher sales price for you.

And springtime is when these bidding wars tend to happen more than any other season in real estate. Despite the fact that inventory is growing now, prices are at their highest too.

Since prices tend to be higher and more sales occur during the spring, your agent will have access to more comps or comparables that will be more reflective of the current market. When there are fewer sales at other times of the year, your home could get matched with a bad comparable.

5. Easier to Move Up to New Home

Even though you’re focused on selling your home, you’re probably also planning on moving to a new home. 

All the reasons about being more convenient for buyers, longer days, and even higher prices translate to your own experience as a buyer as well. Buying and selling can be stressful and chaotic and you want to do it right in the shortest amount of time if possible.

Springtime offers you the chance to sell your home quickly for a higher price, which can help you purchase your next home. Plus, the timing is more flexible for many families who are juggling buying and selling at the same time.

If you or anyone you know is thinking about selling this year, I’d love to help. 

Let me know and we can talk about how your timing compares to the benefits of the spring market and figure out what’s best, where you’ll go next and how to buy and sell at the same time so you don’t end up with two homes or no homes! I can help with all of it!