Why Fall Is the Best Time of Year to Buy a Home

Now that the weather is cooling off, those interested in buying a new house may think they need to wait until next spring to start shopping. Not so! Along with beautiful drives, crisp weather, and Halloween fun, autumn also offers a wonderful time to find and purchase the home of your dreams.

Here are nine great reasons to start your home search in the fall.

You Can Move Before the Holidays

Are you dreaming of big family dinners, watching football on the flat screen by the fireplace, and sitting around a beautifully decorated Christmas tree? You can do it in your new home if you start looking now. Find and buy a place during the fall, and you’ll be able to move in, set up, and be settled by the time the winter holidays roll around.

There Are Typically Fewer Buyers

It’s a common opinion that people need to shop for a house in the spring and summer months. This benefits the fall buyers by clearing out the competition. Not as many buyers means you can see homes faster and take longer to make your decision. Hopefully this also means you won’t have to endure vicious bidding wars to land the house you want.

More Attentive Real Estate Agents

With almost half of homes selling during the spring and summer months of May, June, July, and August, you can bet your real estate agent will be busy with other buyers as well as you during that crunch time.  With fewer buyers in the market in the fall, your agent will have more time to spend working with you, researching homes you may like, and guiding you through the homebuyer’s journey.

Motivated Sellers

Homeowners wanting to sell their homes will typically try to get it on the market in the spring. So, if the home is up for sale during the fall, they probably have a good reason to sell it. This means they will most likely be reasonable on the price and more open-minded about the concessions they will accept.

More Room to Negotiate

The combination of fewer buyers and motivated sellers creates an advantageous situation for you. When you find the home you want, you’re more likely to get any concessions that you ask for when you make your offer. Buying a home in the fall may end up saving you several hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars than you would have spent on updates or repairs in spring or summer.

It’s Not as Stressful

Buying a home can be a stressful experience from beginning to end. Disappointments with other buyers outbidding you, unreasonable sellers, unforeseen hold-ups, and other last-minute issues can be frustrating. The good news is that it’s a bit easier to deal with every facet of the process during the less competitive fall months.

You Get a Better Picture of the Property

This one may be something you’ve never considered. Picture it: A beautiful green lawn, blooming flowerbeds, and full, flowering shrubs and trees. Who wouldn’t be charmed by all this curb appeal? The fall is a different story. Fewer flowers and leaves give you a chance to really “see” the home. You might even be able to catch parts of the house that need to be repaired or replaced that you would never have noticed during the warmer seasons.

Save Money on Furnishing It

Buying and moving into a home in the fall allows you to take advantage of great holiday deals. Find sales on appliances, furniture, rugs, and other home decor as well as deep discounts on TVs and other electronics. You’ll probably end up paying a fraction of what you would have paid for home furnishings in the spring and summer.

Snag Lower Moving Prices

If you’ve ever tried scheduling a mover during the summer, you know how difficult it can be. Long wait times and sky-high prices are things summer buyers must put up with that fall buyers don’t have to handle. With fewer people moving, you can negotiate a fair price and might even be able to schedule a convenient, work-friendly weekend move, which is almost impossible to nail down during the summer.

If you’re in the market to buy, don’t automatically put off your plans until spring. Jump on the homebuying path now, and you could be relaxing in the home of your dreams before you know it.