Summer Loving
There are plenty of reasons to warm to a sun-drenched sale.
There are so many elements to a classic Kiwi summer: beaches, baches, barbecues and … buying and selling houses. For just as the shrill cicadas hit their peak in February and March, so does the real estate market. Encouraged by the glorious weather, sellers and buyers emerge refreshed and revitalised from their Christmas breaks, ready to make the sale rooms sizzle.
The New Year period, post January’s holidays, always records a spike in listings – matching and often surpassing the spring sales fever. This year, the market emerged slowly from its winter hibernation. The number of sales were down 5.4% year-on-year, due a drop of new listings in July. However, things quickly warmed up.
September’s listing were up 11.7% on the previous year, and house prices across the country continued to creep skyward: rising 4% nationwide (up 0.4% in Auckland, and 7.4% across the regions), according to the latest data from REINZ. .
These are figures that bode well as we move towards the end of the year and indicate that if you are thinking of buying or selling a property, the start of 2019 will be the time to make your move.
Summer Time to Sell
The annual spike in buyer activity during the summer months is reason enough to list your home. The increased competition for desirable homes leads to better prices, which are always higher during warmer months. But listing your home in the summertime also comes with other benefits.
Everything looks better in the glorious summer sun, and that includes your home. Gardens are lush and green, and inside natural light is at its peak. Windows and doors can be left wide open, so potential buyers will be able to experience the full benefits of your home’s outdoor living areas.
The warmer weather also encourages people to get out and about, meaning more passing foot traffic for open homes. Over the summer holidays, potential buyers are less rushed and have more time to view houses, and vendors can devote more energy preparing for their open homes.
Place in the Sun
A welcoming outdoor living area is a huge drawcard for potential buyers, and assured sunshine means you can make the most of your home’s indoor-outdoor flow. Therefore, it is essential to put the same time and effort into styling both the outside and inside of your property.
Use your time off work to give your deck a makeover, invest (or hire) new outdoor furniture and give the BBQ a polish. Every potential buyer must be able to envisage themselves sitting outside, relaxing with a glass of something cold in their hand.
And make sure your garden areas are neat, tidy and appear to be low maintenance. Trim back plants and trees, spread fresh woodchips onto garden beds, rake a new layer of pebbles onto paths, and get busy with the Wet & Forget.
New Year, New Home
Traditionally, the New Year is a time of new beginnings. It is when people look to change jobs, make lifestyle changes or move to a new house or neighbourhood. That’s why if you are thinking of selling, a summer sale is the perfect time to enjoy a more relaxed sales process, when the livin’ is easy and buyer activity is high.
If your New Year’s resolution is to make a move, contact the sales professionals at Bayleys. Their years of experience selling homes will ensure you enjoy a very happy and prosperous 2019.
Source: https://www.bayleys.co.nz/news/residential/summer
Contact us today
Angela Webb
Licensed under the REA Act 2008
Mobile: +64 27 349 1997
Office: +64 3 375 4700
angela.webb@bayleys.co.nz
