Real Estate Trends 2019

Often I am asked the question; what do you think the market will be like this spring and beyond? I respond with, “No one can predict the future with accuracy!” However, if we look back to past years, the market always improves in the spring. Along with Spring, comes optimism and an upbeat attitude among consumers. The weather improves, there is a lot more sunshine and the landscape comes back to life! Flowers bloom, trees bud, and renewal has begun. Not only the improved climate contributes to this uptick in sales, families tend to want to relocate during the summer holiday and begin their search in the Spring. Inventory is slightly lower in March but should improve in the coming months. The best time to sell your property depends on three things; 1) Are you ready to make the move/transition? 2) Is the property in its best condition for showing? And 3) Are you willing to price it at or below market? The biggest mistake a seller can make it to price the home over market value. The longer a home sits on the market, the less it usually sells for. Buyers have access to a lot of data. They can determine how many days the house has been on the market and that will affect what they offer on a property. Just because many buyers come here from higher priced areas doesn’t mean they are willing to pay over market for their purchase here. They are generally sophisticated and know that our pricing is better than where they currently reside. In conclusion, selling your property in Spring might allow for it to show in its finest glory. However, unless you are ready to move, price the property correctly and have the property in showing condition, the time of year won’t improve your chances of selling.

Cheryl Rellstab