Ask the Broker: Should I Wait Until January to Sell?

by Kris Berg

Realtor, Associate Broker

Author website

I’m wondering if (my) house should be listed now or should we wait until the middle of January? I’ve heard that it’s better to wait until after the holidays.

We are often asked this question this time of year. The prevailing sentiment among sellers is that Spring is always the best time to sell. This perception is based on the fact that Spring and Summer months generally enjoy a more active real estate market and more recorded sales, with January marking the seasonal turning point. But while more homes sell during this time of year due to heightened buyer activity, there also exist a much greater number of homes offered for sale: More buyers and more competition among listings.

I personally never suggest that someone wait until January to offer their home for sale, Sure, the buyer pool is somewhat diminished during the holiday season, but it is really a quality versus quantity issue. We all know first hand what a valuable commodity our discretionary time is this time of year. Most if not all of the casual home shoppers are busy with other commitments, leaving only the truly serious buyers out there looking. And, what better time to make a purchase which is hugely emotional than during the season where thoughts of family, hearth and home are forefront in our minds and visions of sugarplums are dancing in our heads? Speaking from my experience only, December is consistently one of my busiest real estate months (second only to July).

As a final thought, the “correcting” real estate market that we are currently facing further supports my argument for not waiting until after the new year. Seasonal factors are only important in the context of all other factors being relatively equal. If prices continue to decline (as many, many believe they will), there is no time like the present.