Advice
Posted in: Selling a home

The pros and cons of selling your home in the fall

fall home sellers
Key insights:
  • Fall can be a difficult time of year to move if you’re a buyer or seller with school-aged children
  • Fall buyers are typically highly motivated, meaning that sellers could get a fast path to the closing table
  • The Midwest’s gorgeous fall season makes it easy to show off the natural beauty of a neighborhood and the homes within it

Thinking of selling this fall? We analyze the pros and cons to give you insights you can use as you make the call.

Pros of selling a home in the fall

Less inventory

The spring and summer tend to deliver the highest inventory in our local market, and the number of homes for sale usually dips in the early fall. If you decide to list your home this autumn, it may stand out amidst the condensed inventory available.

Buyers are eager

Most families try to move before the school year begins, so buyers who are still looking in the fall tend to be highly motivated. Whether they’re moving due a corporate relocation or simply couldn’t find “the one” in the busy summer market, you could benefit from buyers who are ready to move quickly.

Autumn staging is a breeze

While you’ll have to stay on top of raking and bagging your leaves, staging your home in the fall is relatively easy. The natural beauty of the changing leaves will do half the work for you, and these fall staging tips will get you the rest of the way there.

Cons of selling a home in the fall

Time is precious

For many, fall is the busiest time of year. Whether you’re sending the kids back to school or restarting a time-consuming volunteer gig, remember that upkeep of your home’s interior and exterior will be critical to selling your home this season. Be careful not to take on more than you can handle.

Uprooting is hard this time of year

If you’re a parent of a school-aged child, you will likely be hesitant to move across districts in the middle of the school year. Take stock of what’s important to you, and what will be best for each of your children, before you decide to list. If you plan to stay in-district, ask your REALTOR® to book showings that are in-bounds.

Low inventory of buyers

While the buyers who are out there will be highly motivated to purchase, there may not be as many of them this time of year. Your Realtor can research market trends to help determine if your home’s style, condition and location will be a hit with local buyers.

Ready to sell?

Whether you’re ready to list your home or want the insights of a local market expert, we can help. Call, chat or email today to get in touch with one of the 2,300 Edina Realty Realtors working across Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

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Status Definitions

For sale: Properties which are available for showings and purchase

Active contingent: Properties which are available for showing but are under contract with another buyer

Pending: Properties which are under contract with a buyer and are no longer available for showings

Sold: Properties on which the sale has closed.

Coming soon: Properties which will be on the market soon and are not available for showings.

Contingent and Pending statuses may not be available for all listings