Spring and summer usually get all the real estate glory as the best time to buy a home—and, of course, the busiest. Meanwhile, their seasonal sibling, fall, often gets tossed to the leaf pile by potential buyers who might think autumn is just about haunted houses and turkey dinners rather than house hunting.
But surprise! Fall is not only a great time to buy a home, it might also be the best season to find the perfect property!
Reason #1- October seems to be the month of Lower Home Prices. All those houses that didn't sell in the spring summer are now being re-listed and sometimes for a lower price.
Reason#2- Say hello to your little friend, leverage. Sellers who have their homes on the market in the fall "are generally people who need to sell, which can make for better negotiations for the buyer," And if a home you have your eye on has been on the market all summer, you're really in the driver's seat as far as making an offer the seller can't refuse. The longer a home sits on the market, the more negotiating power the buyer wields.
Reason#3-Not only are most home sellers worn out after the summer selling season, they're also caught between a real estate rock and a hard place in that the holidays are barreling down on them. If they want to move and settle down in time to host Thanksgiving and put up their Christmas lights, they'll have to close, fast. So use this preholiday window to your advantage by offering to help them vacate fast if they cut you a deal.
Reason#4- Year End Tax Credits, No one wants to buy a home purely to make their accountant happy. But there's a sweet added incentive to closing on a home at the end of the fiscal year. Come the following April 15, you might be able to take some nice tax deductions, including closing costs, property tax, and mortgage interest, to offset your taxable earnings.
Reason#5- Once you close on that home you found in the fall, you may want to upgrade your appliances. Luckily, December is when major appliances—refrigerators, stoves, washers, and dryers—are at their very cheapest. It's also the best time of year to buy cookware and TVs.
So once you're settled in, get ready to renovate!