When you do a Google search for when the best time is to list and sell your home you get results right across the board. The fact is, the best time to list your house or condo in Iowa City is when you're ready to sell it. Houses sell all year round. A better question is, when is the best time to list your home for a quick sale? I think what sellers really want to know is when selling your home will be a slam dunk affair. Most sellers want to get the job of selling their home done quickly and efficiently with as little inconvenience as possible. At the same time of course every seller wants the best price and terms. The best chance to check all those boxes in Iowa City is when you know for a fact there will be more buyers in the market place. More buyers equals more chances for a quick and easy sale.
Housing Trends in Iowa City
Homes Listed & Sold on the Iowa City MLS in 2014
The Best Time to List & Sell Your Home in the Iowa City Area
If you figure on the average time between accepted offer and closing is 45 to 60 days, then your best course of action is to have your house in the Iowa City area on the market by March 1st. That way you can be sure it's out there for potential buyers to see - Those same buyers who will close on homes in the busiest months for closings in the year - May, June and July.
Understanding Buyer Motivation When You Sell Your Home
When it comes to selling a house in Iowa City you need to think of it like a commodity. Retailers sell more goods at certain times of the year. The same applies to real estate. Retail or real estate, it's all down to buyer motivation. If you're not relocating for a job or retiring or have some other life changing event that makes you need to move, then chances are that whether you're a buyer or a seller your preferred time to move will be sometime in the spring or summer. If you have kids, then your preferred choice will be in the spring or summer break. You see where I'm going with this, right? Human behavior dictates that the largest number of buyers and sellers will move in the summer months. So when is the best time to list your home? When you look at the chart you can see for yourself. In 2014 almost 50% of the homes listed on the Iowa City MLS closed in May, June and July. 493 homes closed in May, June and July, with a total of 1008 homes sold last year in Iowa City. I also help buyers and sellers in North Liberty and Coralville and the trend line on those charts looks exactly the same as on this chart for Iowa City. In fact it's likely you'll see charts like this for the majority of real estate markets in the "cold weather" states.
Remember, houses sell all year round. Choosing a Realtor who understands the local real estate market and knows how to market a home in any season will get your home sold any time you need to sell it!
Data for this post provided by the Iowa City MLS January 18, 2015. All information provided is considered reliable, but not guaranteed.
