The answer to this question is…it depends.  I know sometimes people want a black and white answer but part of being a real estate agent/advisor is that every sale is not a one size fits all and it takes talking through wants/needs with our clients.  Below are some things I would think about as you figure out when you might want to sell.

Some questions to ask yourself.  How much equity do you have in your home?  Knowing this can help determine whether you’re able to move and buy first or have to sell in order to buy.  Talking to a lender about your finances is always a good place to start.  They can let you know if it’s possible to use the equity in your current home in order to buy the next.  Or they will be able to look at your assets and determine what the best course of action is.  Another question to ask…is there a personal need to move?  Such things like a job changes or an increasing family with a delivery on the way might make listing your home more immediately a necessity. 

January and February are typically the slowest times for closed home sales.  With that being said, each area within St. Louis has their own market and talking to a real estate professional would be best to determine your own mini-market in your neighborhood.  Waiting until springtime can be advantageous as there will be more people looking to buy.  That could equate to a higher sales price.  The degree of how much higher is sometimes hard to calculate.  If there is very little inventory (which some areas have shortages) listing now might be okay because there are still buyers out there looking.  I have several buyers looking right now and they are having a hard time finding what they want.  

Keep in mind the market and how it’s shifting as well.  We have been in a crazy sellers market for the last several years.  I think our market is headed towards a nuetral market (neither buyer nor seller heavy) and that means you need knowledge of the current market and where it’s headed.  Pricing it right is key (and always will be key to selling).

Long story short, the answer to whether you should sell right now or wait until spring depends on your situation and your neighborhood’s market.  There are lots of variables to talk through.  I’m happy to talk through those with you!  

If you are on the fence, it’s never a bad idea to start preparing your home.  Start tackling those projects you’ve been putting off because even if you wait until spring, that will be here before we know it!