Timing is not the only factor to consider when buying or selling a home. However, it’s a significant aspect. It can be difficult to predict when home prices will be low and if there will be a good supply of available properties for sale. Even if you could, you’d need to be in a favorable position regarding your shifting financial condition and life season.
The housing market has changed since the beginning of the year. The average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage interest rate hit a 14-year high as a result of the Federal Reserve’s periodic rate increases during the year in an attempt to combat inflation. We’ll walk you through the common housing market patterns and demonstrate how to recognize when you’re ready to buy, sell, or hold your home so you can feel confident in deciding on the best time to take action. In doing so, you’ll position yourself for success as you pursue one of the most significant investments of your life.
When to Buy
It’s important to get your finances in order before you begin the home-buying process. Although you have no control over the housing market’s or mortgage rates’ future, you may take steps to position yourself for a positive home-buying experience. Increased mortgage rates, continued fierce competition, and higher housing prices are all factors to take into account in the current market. However, If you’re buying a home, buy it with the intention of staying there for at least five years, preferably much longer. By doing this, you’ll increase your chances of your investment appreciating over time, even if prices change.
“You ought to be making this as a housing decision and not an investment decision,”
– Chris Herbert, Managing Director of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.
What matters more is if you have the financial means to purchase a home. Then perhaps, right now would seem to be as good a moment as next year. However, this approach to buying a house is not intended to minimize the repercussions of doing so at an unfavorable period. The fact that you can’t anticipate when will be the ideal time is still a key aspect. You’ll be better prepared to ride whatever volatility the future holds if you buy a house and remain there for a time, so put that preparation on hold and try not to think about it yet.
When to Sell
About 51% of consumers think that the present is a favorable time to sell their homes, according to the most recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index from Fannie Mae. Naturally, as real estate is local, every market will have particular weeks and days of the week that are preferred for selling quickly and/or for more cash. Seasonality also affects when is the ideal time to sell a house. Even if the fluctuations from season to season are less drastic than in the past, seasonality in the housing market is likely to persist in some form. Of course, seasonality isn’t the only consideration to evaluate when determining the ideal time to list your home for sale. The condition of the housing market in your area should also be taken into account.
For instance, selling in a buyers’ market means that sellers should anticipate a longer period of time before getting an offer on their home, and they could have to sell it for less or make more concessions to the buyer. There are more potential house buyers than there are available homes in a sellers’ market. The best time to sell your house is when there is a sellers’ market since you can anticipate it to sell faster, are more likely to get several offers, and can expect to get the full asking price.
In the end, the best time to sell is when you’re ready to do so. Your decision to sell may be influenced by a variety of personal considerations, such as career changes, family changes, and a general sense of readiness.
When to Hold
The stabilization of the housing market is probably something that many first-time buyers are worried about. Is it best to get in now or wait if I want to buy or sell a house soon? The ideal scenario would be for you to stay in the house long enough for increasing property values and your equity to outweigh the expenditures of buying and selling, such as real estate commissions and mortgage closing charges. That usually requires several years. If your financial condition is stable, you might want to benefit from historically low mortgage rates. Even yet, there is little evidence that rates will increase very soon, so you shouldn’t feel pressured.
“The longer you stay in the house, the [less] your timing in this particular house-price cycle [will] matter, ”
– Chris Herbert, Managing Director of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.
The most important factor to consider when deciding when to hold is making sure that you are financially prepared. After you buy the house, you’ll need money for a down payment, mortgage closing costs, as well as for relocation and other costs. If you think that you are not financially ready to pay for these responsibilities, it might be a good idea to to hold.
Although you can qualify for a mortgage with a credit score in the 600s, lenders often provide the best mortgage rates and terms to individuals with credit scores of 740 and higher. With a score in the 500s, your alternatives are significantly more limited. It can make sense to put off buying a home if your credit is weak and utilize the extra time to focus on improving it instead.
The Bottom Line
If you want to get the best deal or the widest selection, you might attempt timing your home purchase carefully. However, the best opportunity to buy is when your finances are in order There are a few options available to you if you’re debating whether to sell your home: you can list it on the market now to benefit from the low supply (and lower demand), you can hang tight to see how interest rates and inflation affect housing, or you can decide to stay in your existing property for the foreseeable future. Most importantly, in making major decisions like this, engage with a local expert with years of expertise and intimate knowledge of your area. Nobody is better qualified to provide you with the best recommendations regarding whether you should decide to buy, sell, or hold during this time.
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