Believe it or not, for those who are looking for a quick sale, January is actually one of the best months to sell your home.
Data from the HomeOwners Alliance found that properties listed in January take an average of just 58 days to sell.
According to the research, average selling times start to creep up as you get later in the year with homes listed in the early summer months taking an extra week to sell.
According to property expert Simon Backhouse of Strutt and Parker, homeowners should be thinking about marketing their home in January to “beat the competition”.
He explained: “Marketing your home now could be a very canny move, especially when there is a lack of stock on the market to allow your property to really stand out.
“Launching a property now will mean beating the spring rush – traditionally a season when many choose to put their house onto the open market.”
He warned that if households end up waiting for spring or summer sellers will “miss out on potential buyers”.
As the property market is the busiest in spring and summer “dominated by high supply and high demand”, this can make it harder to sell.
Instead, selling when there is “high demand but low supply”, such as now, allows sellers to “stand out from the crowd”.
The experts at Property Rescue agree with this and claim that houses often “sell a bit faster” at the beginning of the year due to fewer houses being put on the market.
They also suggested that sellers would receive an improved price for their home if they decided to sell in January.
The experts said: “You’re likely to receive better offers and asking prices during the start of a new year.
“In warmer months, buyers have more options, but the limited choice in the cooler months can work in a seller’s favour.”
For those planning to sell their home this month, they should work on boosting their property’s kerb appeal.
HomeOwners Alliance found that 68 percent of buyers noted kerb appeal to be important when they bought their home
They claimed that the features that “matter most to home buyers” are windows being in good condition and a roof that doesn’t need repair.
