The best time to sell a property is always a hot topic.

Conversations or newsletters tend to go one of two ways: Either NOW is the best time to sell…or there are general tips on how to get ready for the next seasonal market.

IMO, seasonality in Westchester County real estate has lost a good amount of its relevance. Yes, there are times when there are more new listings and more buyer traffic.  But each seller has different metrics on what makes something “best”.  Also, “more” brings its’ own challenges.

If you have an absolute deadline, you do the best you can and list ASAP. But if you’ve got some time, and are looking to make the most of your investment, hitting a date means little if you haven’t done what you can to make the house the best it can be.

In our market, valid cases can be made for almost any season, month, or even week to be the best time to sell. And I’ve seen great success year-round when the questions are more about how to get ready.

The actual listing of a property does not take long. If the stars align a property can be online, professional photos and all, in days. The two biggest mistakes I see sellers make and ultimately regret:

• Targeting a date without a plan, then backing into when they think they should start preparing, guessing how long it will take them to do the work.
• See when to sell, knowing what to do, then getting it done as the same thing, one big decision.

In the former, they’ll almost always underestimate their time/abilities, causing delays, bad decisions, and unnecessary costs and stress. OR, in the latter, they get overwhelmed, and assume a metaphorical fetal position, waiting til their hand is forced to act.

So while discussing ‘when’ might feel empowering, it doesn’t really serve most sellers. What gives a seller more power, what puts more money in their pockets is having a plan and roadmap specific to their needs and circumstances.

Know you need to get started but having a hard time getting going? To make the process more manageable, TRH urges would-be sellers to separate this into 3 distinct parts: The process of getting ready, the state of being ready to act, and then actually being a live listing.

There is no downside, no commitment with either #1 or #2.  When your property is market-ready, you hold all the cards, ready to act when the time is right for you. If you’ve decided to sell, start with a plan. Pre-listing consults from The Refreshed Home give you

• Ideas and options that align with your expectations
• Frank and independent counsel on budget and priorities
• An empathetic approach to difficult situations

Home staging is marketing. It’s also normal, logical, and practical. The Refreshed Home is Westchester’s most user-friendly listing prep agency. Full-time plus, professionally accredited, and with over $1B worth of sold properties in the books, we know how to make things happen for sellers and properties of most any size. Interested or curious? Just start the conversation!