When is the best time to sell your house?

Spring and summer are often said to be the best seasons for property. Perhaps because, like birds, people think about making their nest at that time of year? However, are you guaranteed to sell during the busy spring season, when supply and demand are both high? Or is it better to choose a quieter season, when you will have more opportunities to stand out from the crowd? Read the rest of this article to find out how to maximise your chances and increase the likelihood of selling your property.

Selling a house vs selling a flat

When selling a house whose main asset is its land, it is better to focus on the time of year when gardens are in bloom, trees are covered in leaves and the days are longer, making later viewings possible. March and April are therefore the best months to put such properties on the market. Conversely, there is no particular best season for selling a flat. Flats sell well throughout the year.

Winter: staying active despite the freeze in transactions?

Winter is a less favourable season for selling your property effectively. Buyers do, in fact, tend to hibernate during this period.

For any viewings, make sure your property feels warm and welcoming. Light a fire if you have a fireplace, switch on additional lighting, play some background music, etc.

From January to February, property sales remain very quiet. The festive season has just ended, the days are very short and the weather is far from ideal. When it rains heavily, people stay at home and do not want to attend viewings.

So why not use this season to consider solutions that will increase the value of your house?

Spring: more potential buyers, but also more competition!

Once the winter blues have passed, the birds begin to sing, the days grow longer, the sun starts to appear, spirits lift and thoughts turn to buying a new property.

Spring is THE busiest season for estate agents. There are more buyers looking for their new nest, more families planning to move into a new home before the start of the new school year, and spirits are lifting… In short, it is the season everyone will recommend for putting your property up for sale.

But be careful: more buyers also means more sellers. You therefore risk being lost in the crowd. So is it really the ideal time to sell? When the lists of properties available for sale seem endless, will you find your ideal potential buyers, or will you waste time showing your property to numerous people and waiting for them to choose your house?

This will, of course, depend on quality and price. If you have an exceptional property to offer, it is certainly a favourable time, but remember that an increase in supply often results in lower prices.

Would selling during another season ultimately be more beneficial to you? Let us review the other seasons of the year.

Summer: while on holiday, forget everything!

Late spring and early summer are an excellent time because gardens are at their best.

The market then becomes somewhat quieter due to the annual holiday period, among both potential buyers and sellers. Nevertheless, it remains a good season in which to sell. Ideally, the property should be put on the market before the holidays begin.

Admittedly, summer is a quiet season, but it is also a season when buyers who are actively looking are motivated and serious, ready to sacrifice their summer to find the house of their dreams.

Take care not to miss the start of the new school year and the return from the holidays, as the property market becomes active again! Bear in mind, however, that if you have an attractive plot of land, the situation becomes critical as autumn approaches. You only have a few weeks left to find a buyer.

Autumn: a gradual recovery

After returning from holiday, people need to settle back into the routine of the new school year. Professional and family concerns push buying a property further down the list of priorities.

Furthermore, spirits fall as winter approaches. It is a relatively quiet season. Nevertheless, keep abreast of market trends. Review the financing offers available from banks.

This is often the season when banks launch attractive back-to-school offers, which may encourage dormant buyers to wake up and start viewing properties if they can benefit from an attractive interest rate.

Whatever the season, focus on presenting your property well

Whatever season you choose to sell your property, it is important to showcase it effectively. Have you considered giving it a makeover?

It is said that our homes reflect who we are. You have undoubtedly furnished and decorated your property according to your own tastes and displayed personal items in it. There may be small things that, once repaired or improved, could make all the difference.

So do not overlook this aspect! Every potential buyer will try to picture themselves living in your house to determine whether they could one day feel at home there.

Step one:

Depersonalise your property, remove unnecessary personal items such as ornaments, family photos and trophies, and store them in cupboards or in the loft.

Step two:

Make room for the buyer while your property is on the market by decluttering the rooms so that they appear as spacious as possible. Put bulky items and furniture in the loft or a storage unit, and make sure that every room is tidy.

Step three:

Freshen up your property. An inexpensive coat of paint can work wonders. Choose bright, neutral colours. Finally, make sure you have completed all necessary repairs, down to the smallest detail.

In conclusion, if you are still wondering which season is best for selling, I would certainly say spring… provided that you showcase your house effectively to counter the competition and plan for viewings to continue during the summer — or even at the start of the new school year — as quieter periods can also offer the advantage of making your property stand out.

And remember: never give up, and maximise your chances by using every technique at your disposal to show your house at its very best.