The real estate market in Alaska is more seasonal than in many places. Short daylight hours and snowy weather slow our market during the winter months, but houses do sell year-round. Of course, the best time to sell your home is when you’re ready. But, if you can manage to have your property listed in the spring or summer months, they tend to be the busiest for real estate sales.
Because spring and summer are hottest for real estate sales, February and March are great months to prepare to sell. You can give your home a fresh look by decluttering and deep cleaning. These processes make rooms look more spacious and welcoming to potential buyers. Consider painting interior walls with a fresh neutral color and replacing worn or dated flooring.
Daylight hours are shortest in December which makes it harder for buyers to see homes after work. During February and March daylight hours increase rapidly, most noticeably when Daylight Savings Time hits on March 12th. March is an excellent time to have your property on the market not only because the days are longer but also because many buyers want to change houses early in the year. Typically there aren’t as many Anchorage homes or townhomes on the market as there will be in summer. The lower inventory of competing properties could make your market time shorter in the spring.
Another reason to sell your home in the spring is to accommodate families with school aged children. It’s more difficult for a family to move during the busy school year. The timing of an average transaction is roughly 60 days, which means if you sell in March, you should have a closing date in May. Not to mention, moving amid winter weather can be tough logistically whether you have kids or not. Moving in the summer months will ease the process for you and your buyers.
The Wolf Team has years of experience timing home sales and guiding families as they shift between homes. As your local real estate agent, we can help you prepare your home for sale and suggest a competitive price that will make it stand out from the competition. We can cover all the details as soon as you’re ready! Click the contact us button at the top of this page to get in touch with one of our friendly and knowledgeable agents!