Is Fall and Winter a good time to be buying or selling real estate?

I have been asked this question several times this week, hence I thought I would address it in my blog.

Yes, there is less selling activity during Fall and Winter but what does this really mean?

Let’s first look at some numbers compiled by the Texas Real Estate center at Texas A&M:

https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/articles/tierra-grande/

Based on this research, sales volume typically starts increasing in march, with sales activity in the fall and winter being between 60 to 80% of its peak spring/summer months.

In practice this lesser activity is true both on the buying and selling side: there is both less buyer and less sellers which basic principle of economics tells us that price should not be impacted by this lesser activity. Statistics from the monthly press release of the Houston Association of Realtor(HAR) concur with this observation.

What about rentals? It is the same phenomena, there is both less homes available for rent and tenants, hence the overall days on market to rent remain about the same.

There is an exception to that: from my own personal observation, there are typically great deals to be made in December, just before Christmas, because certain sellers have situations that requires them to sell by year end and most buyers are simply busy with vacation.

As a conclusion, if you want to sell or buy a house in the fall or winter, just do it!

Statistics show, you will not gain by waiting until spring.