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When is the best time to sell?

Selling your home will be the biggest financial move you ever make, and with your ability to buy a new home often dependent on what you can sell your current home for, there is a lot riding on getting it right. So when is the best time to sell? Well, our friends at Clyde property, who have 30 years experience in the field, have this advice to share.“The simple answer is that in today’s market, you don’t need to wait until there’s a ‘good time’. After all, the best time to sell your property is when you’re ready to…

Selling your home will be the biggest financial move you ever make, and with your ability to buy a new home often dependent on what you can sell your current home for, there is a lot riding on getting it right.

So when is the best time to sell?

Well, our friends at Clyde property, who have 30 years experience in the field, have this advice to share.
“The simple answer is that in today’s market, you don’t need to wait until there’s a ‘good time’. After all, the best time to sell your property is when you’re ready to move and there are people looking to buy.“

With that being said though they do identify historically quieter months where you will experience notably fewer viewers. This means less competition for properties which gives the purchasers more bargaining power. These months are:

  • December and January: People are focused on Christmas and the poorer weather can put people off house hunting
  • August: Most people are on holiday this month which makes the market slow down.

Remember though that if you do find you need to put your house on the market in these months… you are most likely also a buyer so any concessions in your own selling price can be offset against negotiations on your new home. It’s all relative really.

Spring is typically the most popular time for buyers looking and with the change in weather, it offers better light and conditions to view houses in. Remember though that while there is more competition amongst buyers….you will also be facing more competition from other houses on the market so to get the best price you need to make yours stand out from the rest which we will look at in future posts.

However, perhaps more important than choosing the timing of a sale, is choosing the right agent. With the advent of property sites like On the Market and Zoopla and the likes of Purple Bricks shaking up the field, the microscope is now on the role of the traditional estate agent. Check out our next post ’Do estate agents really add value?’ where we look into this more.


Clyde Property is a leading independent, multiple award winning estate and letting agent with 30 years’ experience in selling and letting property in Scotland. Just call  your local Clyde Property branch  today, for friendly, impartial advice on finding your next dream home.

*Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

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David Burgess

David owns & operates We Move You and is based in Edinburgh