The Best Week To List Your House Is Almost Here
Considering a change of scenery? Now could be the ideal moment to begin. Experts pinpoint the upcoming week as the prime time to list your house. However, it's important to note that Martha's Vineyard's "spring market" tends to start about a month later than the mainland's, given our focus on second homes and fewer moves timed around the school year. Consequently, our market activity usually ramps up after it does elsewhere. Despite this, the coinciding of the peak listing week with many schools' spring vacations could mean more potential buyers are on the Island, exploring properties during this opportune period.
A recent Realtor.com study looked at housing market trends over the past several years (with the exception of 2020, since it was an unusual year), and found the best week to put your house on the market this year is April 14-20:
“Every year, one week stands out from the rest as that perfect stretch of time when it’s great to be a home seller. This year, the week of April 14–20 is the best time to sell—that is, if sellers want to see lots of interest in their homes, sell quickly, and pocket some extra cash, according to Realtor.com® data.”
Here’s why this matters for you. While the spring market is a great time to sell no matter the week, this may be the peak sweet spot. And if you’ve been putting your plans on the back burner and waiting for the right time to act, this could be the nudge you need to make your move happen. As Hannah Jones, Senior Economic Research Analyst at Realtor.com explains:
“The third week of April brings the best combination of housing market factors for sellers. The best week offers higher buyer demand, lower competition [from other sellers], and fewer price reductions than the typical week of the year.”
But, if you want to get in on the action, you’ll need to move quickly and lean on the pros. Your local real estate agent is the perfect go-to when it comes to figuring out a plan to prep your house and get it on the market. The O'Hanlon Group has a strategy in place to get your property ready for the market (without spending a fortune) and can help with contractors, cleaners, staging and more.
They’ll be able to offer advice to balance your target listing date with what you need to do from a repair and renovation standpoint. And they can walk you through exactly how to prioritize your list so you know what to tackle first.
For example, if your house is already in good shape, you’ll be able to really focus in on the smaller things that are easy to do and make a big impact. As an article from Investopedia says:
“You won’t have time for any major renovations, so focus on quick repairs to address things that could deter potential buyers.”
Here are some specific examples from that article:
Just remember, even if you’re not ready to list within the next couple of weeks, that’s okay. The window of opportunity doesn’t close when this week ends, especially on Martha's Vineyard. Spring is the peak home buying season and it’s still a seller’s market for those who price their properties according to recent comparable homes that have sold.
Bottom Line
Ready to get the ball rolling? Let’s connect and schedule a time to go over your next steps.
