September has arrived, and even though our Silicon Valley weather still says summer, the beginning of the school year implies Autumn. Does that mean that real estate agents are going to take the next few months off, and reemerge in Spring? Not at all. If you want to sell your home, you shouldn’t, either!
Fall is a good time to buy and sell. Many years in the San Jose area, we get a little housing boomlet in September and October. It does tend to quiet down (in terms of new sales) after Thanksgiving, but December often has us Realtors closing on sales and laying the groundwork for listings to hit the market in January.
Who buys a home in the fall? Who wants to sell then? You might be surprised! Here’s a quick list of some possible motivating factors:
- For many families, it’s easier to house hunt when the kids are in school than in summer when they are under foot
- If a spouse has died during the calendar year, there may be tax reasons to sell and close escrow prior to December 31st (consult a tax professional about this)
- Many home buyers want to be in their new place in time for the holidays, so closing by or just after Thanksgiving can be a big motivator
- New transferees, either coming or going, may want or need to buy / sell ASAP, whether it’s fall or any other time of the year
- Some buyers find a little less competition in the later months of the year makes it easier to purchase
- Sellers, too, may find that their home has better odds of selling with the lower inventories typical of the last months of the year
We are very fortunate that here in the Santa Clara Valley, it really is possible to buy and sell homes year round. Don’t discount the autumn as a time to sell or buy. This is something that should be looked at on a case-by-case basis. Talk to your Realtor, or if you don’t have one, call me for a confidential, no obligation appointment to discuss your situation.
