Is October an odd month to put our house on the market?

FitzWilliams

Hi everyone.

We’re currently pulling together the final bits of our deposit and will have everything we need by around October time to buy a bigger house within our current price range. The market may change by the time we sell and complete, but for now we are a few thousands off where we need to be.

My question is, is October a weird month to put a house on the market normally? Too close to Christmas? Would you recommend holding off until the following spring? Prices may go up by then but the longer we stay here the more money that we can save.

Our help to buy loan comes to its 5 year mark next March so if we were to wait until next year would that complicate the loan repayment? E.g. would we need to get someone out from h2b to value the house in March to come up with the house value for the loan repayment fee if our house was on the market or sold but not complete? 

Thanks

davilown

Traditionally i would say yes - the darker months along with the Xmas holidays make for slow viewings. However, if you were to put on around the 20th December, you might pick up all those who start looking at that time

youth_leader

My first EA put my house on the market in October (pre-Covid), and I was inundated with viewings up until the week before Christmas.  We had a snowy January, but viewings still started from 8th onwards, I was surprised.  

ChilliBob

Depends where it is. Where I am properties are in very short supply and demand is high, if they come on and they're decent they don't hang around! 

Slinky

youth_leader said:

My first EA put my house on the market in October (pre-Covid), and I was inundated with viewings up until the week before Christmas.  We had a snowy January, but viewings still started from 8th onwards, I was surprised.  

Yours was a very particular property IIRC and would have attracted curiosity whatever time of year it was marketed.

ka7e

Marketed our old house in late Oct 18, suspended viewings for 2 weeks over Xmas and New Year. Accepted offer in early Feb. People are definitely looking all year round.

Thrugelmir

Not just a question of selling yours. It's also finding something you wish to buy.  Generally speaking. The market is slowing down at that time of the year. 

Carrot007

I bought a house around then. Slower market. Maybe. What does it matter?

Only people who might read extra into it are people you are better off not selling to!

RelievedSheff

It doesn't matter what time of year you put your property for sale.

lookstraightahead

You don't know how long it will take to sell so just put it on when you're ready.

Davesnave

Personally, I'll be glad if there still is a good market by October/November. That's when I estimate I'll be able to crystallise some important assets, but from where I'm sitting the rot's already set in. Maybe I shouldn't be talking the market down, but I'd be mad if I thought it would make a difference; madder indeed than those who think the current farce is sustainable!