Chico Real Estate Inventory is DOWN! List Now.
January 3rd, 2013categories: Chico Sellers
One question that I usually hear when I’m out on a listing appointment is “How do we know when it’s the right time to list our house?”
The question becomes even more pointed at this time of the year. Traditional wisdom tells us that the best time to list is in the spring. The flowers are blooming, the grass is green, the birds are chirping…. AND a large number of other Chico sellers will be putting their homes on the market all at once. I’ve never really understood the rationale of putting a new listing on the market based on the time of the year. Historically, the last quarter is always the busiest time for my office. You know, the period that includes Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas? The time of the year that is supposed to be the WORST time to sell a home because buyers are distracted with family, school vacations, shopping and travel. December 2011 was the single highest month for closed sales in my history. December 2012 resulted in over 30 pending sides for our tiny team.
My point is this: I don’t buy into the tradition of listing in the spring. If you’re looking to sell your home in 2013, my advice is to put it on the market as soon as you can get it ready. Interest rates are historically low, and the inventory levels in Chico are leaving a lot of buyers dissatisfied with their options. Inventory is lower now than it has been for the past 12 months. Actually, the last time we had less inventory was July of 2005! Less inventory means less competition for your property!
