What Time of the Year to House Hunt..............

[thinkalot]

The best time is when you find the house you want. You are over thinking this.

[GotHereQuickAsICould]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Anytime is a good time to HUNT. Look at lots of houses and understand what you really want/need and what it will cost.
The best time to MAKE AN OFFER (in most of the USA and Canada) is between 2 days before Thanksgiving and 3 days after New Year's Day. Sellers are much more accommodating during this period.

Now why is this?

[keraT]

Originally Posted by -SeanWalker-

Best time for buyers would be winter. Few people go house hunting in the winter, but people are still trying to sell. Less competition means its easier for you to get your offers accepted.

To sell a house, the best time is Spring or early Summer

I have to agree about winter if: 1) you are not in a rush to buy a house 2) looking for average house 3) if you like to take your time making decision. I started my search in summer last year & was frustrated at how fast house were being snatched up. There were too many houses for me to screen thru & then visit those house & then make decision only to find out an offer was already made on it the day we saw the house. I felt rush, I felt frustrated & I didn't like it. So I put my search on hold & resume in late fall/winter. There wasn't that many listing in winter. Some weeks there were nothing new but the few that matched my need, it was easy to identify & easy to schedule to see. I eventually found a house I saw during subzero temperature.

[jk88cal]

Originally Posted by thinkalot

The best time is when you find the house you want. You are over thinking this.

100% agree.

Buying a house is not buying a car, electronics, phone, etc. Every single house is unique in some way. So it might take someone 1 year to find the right house. It is unlikely you will find the right house in days, weeks, or even 1 month.

Here in California, the largest number of listings is in Spring and Fall. However, this is also when there are most buyers. So it is not necessarily the best time to buy, because buyers are competing with each other. In the slow season (December, January), there might be less competition, but also much less inventory.

So look when you can. I read this somewhere and something my wife is always preaching to me. Look at 100 properties, make offers on 10, and have 1 offer go thru. This is how you know you found the right house at the right price.