Is Spring the Best Time to Buy a Palo Alto Home?

The world of real estate is an exciting and confusing place filled with sage advice for home buyers and sellers. You may have heard plenty of recommendations on when to buy, when to sell, whether you should stage, and other helpful tips to get your home sold fast; however, it may be difficult to tell what will actually work.  If you own a home in Old Palo Alto or want to buy in Professorville when is the best time to act? Some Palo Alto real estate agents may tell you spring is the best time to sell your home, but is one particular season really the best?

Spring’s Advantages

The weather and time may be on your side if you decide to list your house earlier in the year to take advantage of the spring real estate market. Here are several reasons listing homes for sale in Palo Alto during spring may be of benefit:

  • AA_PaloAlto_Spring-Market-BigTulipsWeather – Spring is a great time to flaunt your home’s curb appeal. You can easily wow buyers with fresh blooms and other attractive plants. A well-groomed landscape can give you a major advantage over other homes with unkempt yards.
  • Vacation Time – Many buyers start looking for their new home during the spring in order to close and move by summer. This allows them to take vacation time for moving. They also won’t have to worry about interrupting their kids’ school year. If you have a large home perfect for a family, it may be wise to contact your real estate agent in time to sell your home for a summer move.
  • Buyer Quantity – Whether or not spring is the best time to sell, its definitely the busiest time of the year for Palo Alto real estate. More buyers look for homes during the spring and summer than any other time of year. This means you will have more traffic during open houses, more activity through your agent, and more interest in your home.
Luxury House

Luxury House

Spring’s Disadvantages

Although there are many reasons to list your home for sale in Palo Alto earlier in the year, other seasons have a couple of advantages over spring. Your real estate agent may recommend listing your home in the fall or winter for these reasons:

  • Lower Competition – Selling your home during fall and winter can mean lower competition due to the popularity of spring real estate. If you list later in the year, the majority of your competition will already be off the market, allowing you to ask more for your home.
  • AA_PaloAlto_Spring-Market-2013-1024x89Serious Buyers – Because spring is such a popular time to buy a home, most spring buyers have enough options to take their time, look at many homes, and shop around during the whole season. Winter buyers are usually those who need to move as soon as possible due to a job relocation or a sudden lifestyle change. Those who need to find a house before their job starts are more likely to be serious about closing and moving in as soon as they can. Due to lack of options, they are also more willing to negotiate.

If you’re looking for an experienced Palo Alto real estate agent to help you decide when to list your home, contact Shelly Roberson. I have 24+ years of experience selling Palo Alto homes and I am ready to put the sold sign outside of your home!

Shelly Roberson

Shelly Roberson has 25 years of experience; 600+ closed transactions; UC Berkeley grad; Shelly has worked in the same Palo Alto office for 23 years; She brings a wealth of skill, experience and professionalism; Shelly is incredibly detail oriented and a savvy negotiator.

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