If you are looking to move house and be settled into your new home by Christmas, now is the time to start thinking about putting your home on the market.
As a rule of thumb, you should expect your home to be on the market for between 30 to 45 days. You can check the exact time it takes to sell in your suburb by asking us for the current time on market.
Add to that two weeks to a month to get all the projects done around your home that will ready it for sale, and another 30 to 90 days for settlement once the property is sold, and you can see how the time quickly starts to add up.
Based on this rough calculation, even if you decided today to sell your home, you’re looking at the property being sold and the money in your pocket in 90 days at the earliest. That takes us very close to Christmas.
Here are some other reasons to act now:
Prices are strong
Despite Covid, properties are continuing to sell and achieve good prices. This is because there is not a lot of competition in the market and buyers who are confident about their job futures are able to obtain some of the lowest interest rates in market history.
Spend time at home decluttering and cleaning
Working from home has forced us all to spend a lot more time at home. We’re now all extremely conscious of projects around the house that need doing and may even have tackled a few. With the strengths – and weaknesses – of your home clearly on your mind, it’s easier to create a plan to address them and in doing so, get your home ready for sale in record time. It’s also somewhat easier to get tradies to your home to make repairs as with construction waning, many are keen for the work.
Spring markets are great for sales
It’s a cliche, but thoughts turn to property sales in spring. As the weather warms up, buyers come out in force and your home is more likely to look its best with blossoms budding in the gardens and the grass green from winter rains. Other properties for sale in your area will encourage enthusiasm for the market and if you act now, you’ll be timing yourself for the perfect end of year run.
You want to avoid a Christmas sale
December and January can be awkward times to sell. Should you have a Christmas tree up if you’re holding open for inspections? If you do, you’ll have to downplay the Christmas lights and keep it minimalist, and that can be a bummer if you’ve got kids. It can also be deeply unsettling. Many buyers will be taking a break themselves over January, and knowing the property is on the market can also make summer holidays awkward. After the difficulties of 2020, you probably deserve a vacation, so getting the timing right can make life easier in the long run.
You’ll celebrate the new year in your new home
There is nothing more wonderful than ringing in the new year by popping the champagne cork in your new home. Our homes are places where we dream, feel safe, and spend time with family. What better way than getting your future off on the right foot by being settled in your forever home.