The verdict is in. Extensive research data analysis has confirmed the long-held belief to be true - March is the best month of the year to sell a property in the UK.
If you think about it logically, it stands to reason. In summer, everyone is busy either enjoying the sacred warm weather, getting away for a break, or focusing on making it through the school holidays with their sanity intact. Autumn is a better time to sell than Summer, with no major holidays to contend with - October can be a good month for selling, but with the colder months in sight, the window of opportunity is relatively small. From there, Winter is typically a difficult time to sell, with everybody hunkering down to brace for the cold and enjoy Christmas.
Then comes spring. With the festive season behind us and the new year in full swing, there is March, welcoming everyone towards the promise of warmer months to come, yet still plenty of time before the busyness of the summer holidays.
Photo by Michael Cummins on Unsplash
Brits are still cosying up and coming around from the holidays in January and February, but the new year typically sparks renewed motivations towards life changes. By March, home-movers are ready to spring into action in the hopes of moving in time for the summer. According to the latest data from Rightmove, for the past five years (excluding the pandemic interruptions of 2020), March has been the month with the most buyer enquiries regarding properties for sale. This heightened activity creates competition between potential buyers, making it easier for sellers to secure deals.
March also typically sees the greatest number of new listings entering the market. Despite this influx of inventory, however, the extent of buyer demand keeps the month highly competitive, making it the strongest month for sellers.
Furthermore, April and May were found to be the next consecutively strongest months for selling UK property, so even if you're a little late coming to the party, all is not lost. The market is bouncing back well following the chaos of the pandemic, with the number of seller requests for home valuations up by 27% since January 2022, when compared to the same period last year.
When selling a property, most people understand the importance of ensuring that it is in a good state of repair, etc., but there are other ways to assist in the successful sale of your property. So, if you are thinking of capitalising on these crucial months and putting your home up for sale, here are some interesting things to consider.
Especially since the lockdowns, potential buyers are drawn more than ever to spaciousness. While you shouldn't necessarily set out to significantly remodel your home, consider ways to present it as a more spacious property.
For example, you could remove doors that separate some living spaces to give the illusion of areas that flow together, and make sure that you stage your home in a minimalistic way so that it isn't full of clutter and furniture. Also, make sure that you champion whatever outdoor space or garden you have to work with, making it an enticing area for relaxation or entertaining.
So much attention is often paid to staging the inside of a home, that the exterior can become neglected. Yet, the outside is the first thing a prospective buyer will see when they view the property, and as we all know, first impressions count.
Take a moment to stand outside your home and look at it through the eyes of a potential buyer. Would you find the property desirable? Perhaps the exterior walls or driveway needs pressure cleaning, which can take years of the look of a house. Whether your garage door needs a lick of paint, or the general appearance of your property could be enhanced with some pot plants or new pathway tiles, give some thought to your home's curbside appeal.
This consideration is new to sellers, but it makes perfect sense given the times we live in. More and more buyers (and agents) now check out a seller's social media presence, so make it a good one. People are less likely to buy a house from someone who posts offensive or otherwise extreme messages online. Also, refrain from writing about any house viewing experiences, as this can put people off for fear of being written about.
In a country with such a rich history, it’s very likely that with a little digging, you could find out some fascinating facts about your property’s past, era and history. So long as they aren’t unpleasant, you can use them to further market your property. By posting interesting tidbits online to relevant sites and social media pages and linking back to your property listing, you could drum up a surprising amount of added interest.
Photo by Dave Lowe on Unsplash
Most people who sell their home are planning to buy another one, whether that be to up or downsize or relocate. Depending on your personal and financial circumstances, it pays to have your home listed and preferably sold prior to buying another. In today's highly competitive market, positioning yourself as a cash buyer or one without a significant chain behind you puts you in a powerful position for negotiations.
Dee Atkinson & Harrison is a multi-award-winning estate agency based in Beverley and Driffield, and our expert team is ready to help you with your buying, selling, or letting needs. You can contact us on (01482) 866844 or (01377) 241919
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