While spring is the traditional homebuying season, it doesn’t mean you can’t have success selling your home after Labor Day—it just requires a different approach. Around fall, the market tends to slow down and become a buyer’s market as fewer buyers are searching for homes. Fortunately, San Diego’s year-round great weather keeps the market for real estate in downtown San Diego from slowing down too much, although you should keep in mind many prime buyers prefer to buy during the summer break from school and avoid moving during the holidays. Here’s what you should know to get your home sold during the fall so it doesn’t linger on the market.
Make Sure Your Home Is Priced Competitively
When it’s a buyer’s market, you need to make sure your home is priced to sell, especially during the fall when there will be fewer buyers. While the summer months are indeed peak selling season, the right pricing strategy can help you sell your home in any market. Your real estate agent will help you develop a competitive pricing strategy that avoids one of the biggest mistakes you can make: overpricing, which will get your home ignored in a buyer’s market and leave you chasing after buyers with price reductions later.
Get Your Home in Showroom Condition
It goes without saying that you’ll want your home to be in the best possible condition to appeal to as many buyers as possible. Think of your home not as your home but as an asset you’re trying to sell for as much money as possible. Your home should be in showroom condition because the last thing you want potential buyers to see is a home full of unfinished projects or outdated fixtures. After all, they’ll have plenty of other options during the fall. Three important steps to take include:
- Declutter – Keep it simple, clean, and subtle as you go through each room, removing unnecessary furniture, personal items, and knickknacks. When buyers walk into your home, they should be able to picture living there and how their belongings will look, not how small the room feels with too much furniture.
- Stage – Simple forms of staging can really make a difference. Make sure to have fresh white towels and throw rugs when prospective buyers come to visit. When staging your home, remember less is more.
- Repaint – A fresh coat of paint can go a long way toward making your home feel fresh and new. It’ll make the house look vibrant and clean, and it’s a chance to switch out personal color choices for neutral hues that will appeal to others.
Market Aggressively
Any marketing is good marketing, and in today’s online world, there are many outlets and opportunities to get your home in front of prospective buyers. Especially during the fall, it’s important to use a variety of marketing strategies, such as video tours, open houses, social media posts with pictures, emails, and flyers. Make sure you choose a real estate agent who has aggressive and effective strategies to sell your home.
Remember Fall Isn’t a Deadline
While most buyers want to move during the summer so their kids will be able to start school on time and spend the holidays in their new homes, there will still be plenty of buyers ready to buy in the fall. Try to identify the buyers most likely to be interested in your property, whether they’re retirees, singles, young couples, or buyers looking for second homes. Selling your home can be a stressful experience at any time of year, so it’s a good idea to hire an agent to take care of all the details for you. If you have a loft, penthouse, or condo for sale in downtown San Diego, reach out to the professionals at 92101 Urban Living to guide you through the process. Call one of our friendly agents today at 619-649-0368 and set up an appointment to discuss how we can help.