Unsure! When to put house on market?

[Milpale]

Should we get it on the market now (worst time of year to sell we are told) or wait until January or even later? When would be the best time?

Everyone is winding down for Christmas now. People will start to think about buying a new house in the new year. I’d wait until then.

I agree- after Christmas. Who needs the stress this time of year of worrying whether people are coming round, and if they are, having to be super tidy. All the expert advice I read when selling was to try to make your house a bit neutral so viewers could imagine themselves there not you- and with my collection of Christmas decorations made by the children that would be a tricky ask.

I'm looking to buy now.

I would say that there are enough people looking at the moment.

I would pick your EA get the photo done really nicely on a sunny day and get them to put it on Christmas week.

Think of all the bored house hunters after they've 'done' Christmas Day with time on the internet to kill.

Leave it until the New Year.

I'd get photos taken now and on the open market early in January - the best of all options, you're not going to want to be hosting viewings over the holidays, but EA's can send it to the people already on their books (and thus keen to buy) before they close for Christmas.

I've bought twice in the winter - having seen the property advertised between Christmas and New Year. My parents' house is about to go back on the market - the previously agreed sale having recently collapsed, but it is currently empty so no need to keep it tidy, which does make it easier.

Don’t have photos done when you’ve got Xmas decs and tree up (advice once given to me by EA) as people don’t want to look at all that once Xmas is over

We are desperate to buy and would love it if people would list in December. The market has been dead for weeks though so I'm not holding out for an improvement until the new year!

We put ours on at the tail end of October last year and even though we had 15+ viewings over 3-4 weeks, we didn't get an offer. I think people were winding down to Christmas, December is a big spend month, and didn't want to be starting all the conveyancing etc over the holidays. We re-listed it in January and had 3 offers after the first weekend of viewings. So I would hold off, I think you've missed the boat for this year.

I would put it on asap. Lots of first time buyers looking to take advantage of the remaining window for the more advantageous stamp duty threshold, which will worsen come April.

I am personally looking to buy and as @WulyJmpr mentioned, I think there're enough people out there looking and trying to complete before stamp duty rises (even non first time buyers like myself)

I would definitely wait until January to list it, but get it ready to list now. They say the biggest traffic on rightmove is on Christmas Day so I would get it ready now, get the agents to put it on rightmove a few days before Christmas and then you can do viewings in January!

We had 3 estate agents round last week to value our house, and they all advised to wait until after Christmas.
I'm eager to get it on, but going to go with their advice.

We’ve spent all of last week sorting the house out … painted the kitchen and landing and all the doors and skirting boards etc … declutterring as much as possible.
Then the plan is to get the photos done in the next 2 weeks (before the Xmas decorations go up).. then we can relax and enjoy Christmas.

Then we’ll go on the market just before Christmas, so that everyone who’s sat at home eating chocolate over Xmas can see it.
all the agents said that Boxing Day is the busiest day on Right move.

they said if we put in on the market now … it’s much slower, people aren’t looking ..

It's going to take you maybe a couple of weeks to choose an EA, then you need an appointment for them to take the pics, they need to compile the listing, you need to check it and approve it.
Start the ball rolling and ask the EA what's the best day for it to go live - can they actually launch your listing on Boxing day? If they can, do that. So you need it to be ready a few days before.

Put it on ASAP - you'll be ahead of the spring competition and more experienced with being in 'presentation mode'.

I think there are a lot of buyers still on the market eager to buy. Buyer mentality will be to get an offer accepted before Christmas. Couldn’t think of a more perfect Christmas present.

Except you know you’ll be busy in December and won’t be able to accommodate viewings.

If it's in a state to go on the market immediately, then I don't see why you would wait. I will caveat that by saying it does depend on what the market is like where you are selling. I am in the same position and worried about the same thing. Estate Agent said his agency has actually seen an uptick in sales this week in the area I am selling in, the market in general has settled after various elections and now is the time to market the property. There is also a stamp duty change due to come in in March 2025, so people looking to buy now will want to get in before that change. I have no idea whether he's right, but hope so!

I was advised that they see the most interest/most number of requests for viewings in the first 3 days a property goes live, then interest drops considerably. If you haven't had a decent number of viewings/offer made within 2 weeks, it's time to consider whether the property is priced accurately. Good luck!