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Writer's pictureBethany Hudson

When Is The Best Time To Buy A House?

As conveyancers, we work with buyers and sellers 12 months a year to help their property transactions go smoothly. So we’re often asked when the best time to buy a house is. That's not really surprising, given that people want to get the most out of their investment, especially in this economic climate! And while most of the time the answer is 'How long's a piece of string', we do have a few insights that can inform your decision going into 2024.


Winter


Winter is a mixed bag, but as a whole sees low levels of selling or buying interest pre-Christmas. People don't want the extra cost of buying a house in an already expensive month, and sellers aren't keen on listing properties in the depth of winter. But after Christmas and New Year's, interest starts to rise. Buyers decide they need a change, or put 'buy a house' on the New Year's Resolution list, and searches start fairly quickly. So if you time it right, this could be a good time to list your home for sale and start looking to buy a new property.


Spring


Spring is often a favourite time to both sell and buy. The gardens and flowers look beautiful in bloom, showcasing how his buyers could make the property look with some good gardening skills. The leaves are all on the trees rather than on the ground, and that warm sunshine makes everything just look better. There's a lot of competition in spring, so while it's a good time to be a seller, it can be challenging for buyers on a budget. If you don’t have a budget however, it can be a great time to explore new areas and find the perfect property.


Summer


Summer is notoriously one of the least popular times of year to buy a house, and it's almost entirely down to the weather. You would think that gorgeous sunshine and no rain would be a good thing, but in reality, it means two things.


1. Buyers know that sellers can use more tricks to showcase the property and gloss over some of the hidden issues. For example, they buy lots of new flowers and plants for the garden to hide issues with external finishing. While these things will be discovered in the inspection phase, the hope is that you’ll fall in love with the property and be willing to overlook them or negotiate on price.


2. Many buyers put property hunts on pause. Summer is less of a 'work 'time for many (especially those with children), so picnics and summer holidays are the priority. So sellers are very motivated to sell, which can mean accepting lower offers just to get things moving. Great news if you're a buyer with no seasonal commitments!


Autumn


This is a great time of year for families looking for a new home. The kids are at school, Christmas is ages away, the best of the weather is behind us and buyers are ready to get stuck into the house-hunting process- and all that comes after! There’s a huge spike in demand for property around mid-September, so as a seller, this is one of the best times you can list. Buyers will get a great view of the property, and competition will be fierce, 's. 'it's the sellers' choice. It might be worth waiting until mid-October or early November to buy, as this is when sellers start to drop their prices.


The bad news is that most people are buyers and sellers at the same time! So there really is no 'best' time to buy or sell a house. Each season has its pros and cons, and it's up to you to find a timeline that works for you. If you're not sure how to do that, never fear, we're here to help!


At Hudson Conveyancing we work with both buyers and sellers to make the whole property transaction go as smoothly as possible. So if you're looking for some advice or support in buying or selling a property in 2024, please do Just get in touch with the team to book your free, no-obligation consultation.

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