When Will Be The Best Time To Sell Sidcup Property In 2017?

Most people do not give consideration to when is the best time to sell their Sidcup property and just instruct an estate agent to market immediately.  However, if you put your property on the market at the wrong time of the year for your particular buyers it could seriously affect the final price you achieve as the overall demand might not be there from your ideal buyer.  You need early and strong interest from buyers who are keen to move, and that takes a little planning.

It is important for homeowners to understand that certain times of the year are better for selling particular properties in Sidcup than others.  The key thing is to know who your buyer is and plan the selling of your property around their timescale and not yours.  A good estate agent should be able to guide you on this but also consider the position you were in when you purchased your own property all those years ago as this might provide you with useful characteristics of your potential buyer.

Different types of buyers like to move at different times of the year, according to their own needs. It's not healthy for your eventual sale price, or for your emotional wellbeing, to have a property sitting on the market for months on end, so the better you can plan your launch, the more likelihood there is that your property will sell quickly and attract the attention of buyers who will pay the most money for it.

So the magic question – who buys what property in Sidcup and when?

Apartments and small terraced houses: Singles and Young Couples – January/February/March  

We often see more first time buyers begin their property search very early in the year.  It seems that after spending time together over Christmas a lot of young couples decide that buying a property together seems the correct thing to do.  These buyers tend to look at property at the lower end of the market which includes apartments and small terraced houses.  Their search often starts in January and February but as these buyers are in no rush, their searches can go on for some months and they will often view many properties.  Sellers of apartments and small houses should be patient with these buyers and expect that many will view their property more than once and with other family members before making an offer.

Detached and Semi detached family houses: Families – Autumn, Spring and early Summer

It has always been known in our industry that family buyers tend to look for property at three distinct times of the year: autumn, spring and early summer.  Why? as these times are normally school terms times. Buyers with children do not usually like to go house hunting during the school holidays.  First, they have better things to do, such as go on holiday, and second, it's very stressful viewing a home when you have young children to contend with.  Parents will normally view properties when their children are in school.  Also you will find that most families prefer to sell during these times of the year, again as the children will not be at home when viewings take place and it is easier to keep the house tidy.

Bungalows and Retirement Properties: Downsizers (Older couples and singles) – Late Spring and Summer 

Downsizers usually always prefer to look at Sidcup homes during the warmer months and this is why sometimes bungalows and retirement properties will often languish on the market over the winter months.  The elderly don't want to venture out to look at property during the cold winter months in the rain and snow, and packing up and moving home in winter is also something most older buyers will not fancy.

For the downsizers the perfect time to move is in the summer and this type of buyer tends to look at fewer properties, and make their minds up more quickly perhaps as they have a lot more experience in buying properties or don't want the stress of a long property search.

If you know who is most likely to buy your home, you can plan your launch to market more effectively. Remember that the less time your home is on the market, the closer to your asking price you are statistically likely to get, so plan for a quick sale!

At the time of our valuation we will confirm to you who we feel is your ideal buyer and when the best time would be to sell it to achieve the best possible price.  Our Sales Department can be contacted on 020 8300 6761 or info@drewery.co.ukWant to know the potential Sales or Rental value of your property? – use our FREE instant Online Valuation tool to give you a guide in less than 60 seconds:Read more articles: Why not read more of our articles on the Sidcup Property Blog click here

Speak to me: If you'd like to have a chat about anything in this article or property related, drop me an email at pj.long@drewery.co.uk – I'd love to hear from you.

Paul Long (Director & Author of The Sidcup Property Blog)