Did you try it yet? It’s like someone pressed the mute button on your humming.
This is an example of a fact that many people don’t know is true. It is a great example, because you can test it and prove or disprove it yourself, in a matter of seconds.
The opposite of this is a “fact” that many people don’t know is false. Often they are part of what we call conventional wisdom. We don’t challenge it, because everyone knows it to be true. These well known truths are often, in fact, not true at all. Here are a couple of fun ones.
If it’s cold outside, wear a hat, because you lose most of your heat through your head.
Nope, you lose as much heat per square inch through your head as you do throughout the rest of your body. Try wearing a hat and no pants out in winter and see if you stay warm because your head is covered. Actually, don’t do that.
Don’t touch a baby bird or the mother bird will no longer take care of it because it will smell your scent.
Nope, birds actually don’t smell too well. Even if they do smell your scent on the baby bird, they won’t abandon the bird they have spent time and energy raising. So, move the bird to safety if need be and the parents will surely come along soon.
In real estate, there is conventional wisdom about the summer. Everyone is off on vacation or enjoying the weather, so no one wants to buy or sell their house in the summer. Get it done in the spring, or wait until the fall.
It’s conventional wisdom. Everyone knows it. And it’s wrong.
The fact is that lots of other things happen in the summer. People get transferred to new jobs, couples get divorced, retirees downsize, babies are born, life goes on. The result of a lot of these life events is that people need to buy or sell a home. Right away. Not when nothing else is going on and everyone else is ready to buy or sell. Right now.
So far this summer, I have been working hard with both buyers and sellers. I can tell you that the real estate market does in fact continue in the summer. On average, July and August see a dip in the number of homes listed for sale, as well as the number of homes that sell.
If you are a buyer, you have fewer options, but you also have homes staying on the market longer, giving you time to consider a purchase. In general, the pace is slower and you have less pressure to view and decide quickly.
If you are a seller, you have less competition out there but your home will likely take longer to sell. The visitors are more of a trickle than a flood but the ones that view your property have taken the time to consider it and are much more likely to make an offer and to have that offer go firm.
When clients decide to work with me over the summer, I help them understand the pace is slower and we adjust our activities and expectations accordingly. Houses still get bought and sold and a number of my clients find the experience less stressful as a result.
If you or someone you know needs to buy or sell, don’t makes the mistake of thinking you need to wait until after the summer. The weather is great, there are people looking to buy and sell and I think this August will be a great time to list or buy a home!
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you like the idea of a more relaxed pace for selling or buying over the next month or so. I just finished with a couple of clients and I am eager to continue.
Enjoy the summer!
Jeff