Should I sell in January?

“We want to sell next year, when do you think we should look at marketing our home?”. This has been a common question asked lately. First things first, I generally (there are definitely exclusions) wouldn’t let a time of year take precedence over having your home in ship shape selling condition. However, let’s play devil’s advocate and consider a few quick reasons as to why January 2022 may be a good time. 

1 – There is generally always preparation before sale. Much of this prep can be undertaken by the owners as opposed to relying on third parties. The Christmas break is a fantastic time to do this. The weather is normally great and people have more free time. So make a plan and get to work. Earn that beer or margarita this holiday season. See my previous blogs here and here to give you a few ideas in regards to what could be undertaken to help ensure that premium is achieved. 

2 – There is no denying that banks are much tougher right now than they have been in the past. I have experienced this first hand having personally settled on a new purchase this week. There will be a good deal of people out there trying to take advantage of their current pre approval before they have to go back cap in hand to the bank and potentially face tighter lending restrictions. Amendments to the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 (CCCFA) came into force on the 1st December 2021. Pre approvals often last circa three months. This means there could be people very keen to buy before their pre approval runs up in February.

3 – Ask any builder about the cost and availability of materials at the moment. Materials are harder to come by and the cost has increased. A basic example of supply and demand. It makes sense to put your home on the market with as little competition as possible. This is where pre-empting the market can be helpful. Prepare early so you can present your home to buyers prior to the bulk of properties coming on as we head further into 2022. 

4 – Purchasers have often been refreshed by a break. This has been one heck of a year for many. At the coal face this December I have felt more buyer fatigue than I have felt and seen for some time. This is anecdotal but I have been told that January is a month with the greatest online search volume. Common sense says greater search volume combined with lower levels of property equals greater interest. 

Four quick points that you may like to consider as we go into 2022. If you would like to chat about your personal property situation and how we could go about achieving a premium. If you are considering selling, I always welcome a call.