Senior couple selling their home

When Is the Best Time to Sell a House? (It’s March!)

For many older homeowners, there comes a time when their current space doesn’t match their lifestyle or meet their needs, which means it’s time to start their next chapter in a new home.  

Whether you’re just starting retirement and looking for a vibrant, easygoing lifestyle in Independent Living, making a move to Assisted Living for a little extra help with your daily activities, or simply downsizing to a smaller space, it’s important to get the most money possible out of your  current home. 

Read 5 reasons you should list your home in March, and learn 5 tips for seniors selling their homes in spring. 

When Is the Best Time to Sell a House?

Timing plays an essential role in the successful sale of a house, and the month you put your house on the market makes a difference in the selling price. According to many real estate experts, March is the best month to sell your home quickly and for the most money, for a variety of reasons. 

From beating the competition to avoiding the holidays, check out these 5 reasons you should list your home in March:

1. Get a head start on the competition

Many seniors selling their homes like to wait for warmer months to list their house, because their trees and flowers are in full bloom.  While beautiful landscaping adds to curb appeal, waiting until early summer to list your house means you’ll be entering the market with increased competition. 

2. Weather

Buyers typically like to close on a house and move in when they don’t have to shovel snow in the winter, carry boxes in sweltering summer heat or spend their weekends raking leaves in autumn. Beginning the process in March will allow them to settle into their new home during picture-perfect weather later in the season.

3. Just in time for school

For many families with children, it’s important to make sure a big move doesn’t disrupt the school year. Buying a house in March allows children to finish out the school year, while parents wrap up closing on a new home. Kids will also have plenty of time to get used to their new environment before the next school year begins. 

4. Tax refunds

Early spring is when tax refunds make their way to millions of bank accounts across the nation. After saving the most money they can to purchase a new home, buyers welcome these extra funds to pay for the costs associated with closing on a new home or making an earnest money deposit.

5. Avoid winter holidays

Coordinating big family events, expensive holiday shopping, and kids home from winter break make it difficult to search for the perfect home. People get more serious about buying when their budget isn’t fluctuating from holiday spending, they don’t have to squeeze in open houses during a packed schedule, and families have more time to shop for a new home together.

If you want to take timing a step further, many experts believe listing your house in the middle of the week is a good way to sell your home quickly. That’s because potential buyers have time to review your listing, discuss it, and schedule time with their agent for a showing during the weekend. 

Tips for Seniors Selling Their Homes in the Spring

These days, it’s easier than ever to sell a house, but it still takes a little work. Here are 5 home selling tips to get your home ready for the 2023 market in the spring:

1. Hire the right real estate agent

Real estate agents who specialize in helping seniors sell their homes take a customized approach to each sale to make sure the process is as seamless as possible. They can help you with the unique challenges older adults face when selling their home and direct you toward other professionals that help with the selling process like tax specialists and estate planners.

Reviews of local real estate agents are a good place to start your search, but the best way to find an excellent agent is by asking your friends and family for recommendations. 

2. Clean up the exterior for curb appeal and make interior repairs

The earlier you plan on selling a house, the more time you have to increase its curb appeal and make interior repairs. Autumn or winter is a great time to schedule a pre-inspection of your home so you can start making repairs potential buyers might request during negotiation; this can move the selling process along a little faster.

Even though your trees and flowers are just budding in early spring, you can still increase your home’s curb appeal by cleaning up the exterior and making repairs, if weather permits. For instance, you can schedule air conditioner maintenance, clear fallen branches from your yard, clean windows, power wash your driveway or repair siding. 

3. Declutter your home

Get a head start on packing by decluttering your home to create a blank canvas for buyers to picture their new life. Take a look at your floor plan to see what furniture and décor will fit comfortably in your next home. If something doesn’t have a place or won’t work for staging your current house, you probably don’t need it. 

Downsizing and decluttering your home can take awhile, so try to start as early as possible. Make the process less overwhelming by creating a solid sorting process, working on one room at a time, quickly getting donated items to their chosen locations, and getting advice from your real estate agent on what items will show well in your home.

4. Take advantage of your favorite spaces

Do you think the kitchen is the perfect place for a young family to spend time together or the master bedroom is the perfect retreat for busy parents? One of our favorite home selling tips is to make potential buyers linger in these rooms a little longer by leaving snacks, bottled water, or more information about your home in noticeable areas.  

As buyers are reading a flyer or choosing a snack, they’ll spend just a few more minutes in the best spaces of your house. Be sure to avoid snacks and drinks that might leave a lot of crumbs or stains, and place a trash can in clear view for wrappers and empty bottles.

5. Get ready for showings

Finding something to do when an agent is showing your home can be the toughest part of selling a house. Most buyers aren’t fond of the seller staying in the house, because they won’t feel comfortable with things like opening cabinets, looking in closets, or taking a tour of personal spaces like bedrooms. This makes it difficult for potential buyers to imagine themselves living there.

Fortunately, it will be spring! The weather will be just right for a long walk with your dog, a visit to the park with your grandkids, or a hot cup of coffee on a café patio with your friends. 

Why Seniors Are Selling Their Homes and Moving to Retirement Communities

Maintenance-free residences in retirement communities like The Chesapeake provide a vibrant retirement lifestyle filled with abundant opportunities to spend time with your friends and do the things you love.

Instead of worrying about hassles like mowing the lawn or expensive home repairs, residents at The Chesapeake enjoy beautifully appointed cottage homes, exceptional dining venues, a creative arts studio, a variety of social events, a private putting green and so much more! To learn more, contact our retirement counselors online and we’ll schedule you a tour of our incredible senior living community in Newport News, VA.