What is the best season to put a home up for sale? This is the question we are asking Charlie Cailloux, legal adviser for Particulier à Particulier on PAP.fr this morning.
franceinfo: The most prosperous season for the real estate market is spring, right?
Charlie Pebbles: That’s what we usually say yes! Most people plan their move in August (this is the case for families whose children are in school anyway). To have the keys to the new accommodation for the start of the school year, the compromise must be signed in May and therefore must have started its research in March. That’s why in general, we advise sellers to put on sale in the spring.
Do you seem to doubt this assertion?
Yes, because in reality, there are buyers all year round! Every month, including in December, millions of people consult advertisements, create e-mail alerts to find the accommodation or investment that matches their criteria.
If you plan to sell, there is no reason to wait until March. You will simply have more time to attract a buyer and possibly adjust your ad. There is another advantage to selling in winter: you will attract buyers who missed the boat last year, but who therefore have a very successful project with a well-established financing plan and who know exactly what that they want.
Moreover, the credit conditions are part of the buyer’s decision, they are excellent at the moment, we don’t know what will be in 3 months.
Ok, there are buyers but it’s more difficult to showcase your home in winter! The days are short, there is no light!
Yes, well now is the time during visits to bet on the cozy atmosphere. If you have a chimney, make a good outbreak, make sure, in any case, that the weather is good at home! This is also the time to highlight the energy performance of housing (the insulation of the roof, windows, heating, hot water, etc.).
Even if there is less light in winter, there are always strong points to advance: the garden is sad in winter, but you inevitably have photos taken last summer! As far as interiors are concerned, paradoxically, it’s not always more difficult to take good photos in winter: the sun is lower, more penetrating.
To make the most of this advantage, you can call on one of the professional photographers that we offer at PAP, it’s important because the photos are what will trigger the first calls and especially the requests for visits.