Home-Selling Seasons in North Phoenix

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We all know that real estate is all about (for the trazillionth time) location, location, location. But this well-worn catch phrase also pertains to the selling seasons. Where it snows, for example, winter is usually a terrible time to list a home. With the budding of the trees and the buzzing of the bees, the market begins to bloom. In our area, it’s quite different. Here’s what happens:

January With the holidays done, a few snowbirds and retirees—who are a buying force of nature in Arizona—start looking. Sellers begin putting their homes on the market. Slow sales start to pick up.

February, March & April With a multitude of car shows, golf tournaments and other events, snowbirds begin circling in droves. Inventories start to tighten as sales rise, and our perfect weather feeds the pipeline of people who would rather be here than Topeka.

May Snowbirds begin to take flight to points north, but the “get-em’-in before-school starts” crowd begins to stir. With one group waxing and one waning, sales remain strong.

June With school just getting out in much of the nation, locals are already scrambling to get their next address secured before school starts in early August. This is the season of bargain hunting by those who missed out on the feeding frenzy of spring.

July This tends to be a crazy time for family friendly homes. Summer vacationers who took the station wagon to Yosemite now have just a few weeks to find, close, and move into a home before our school year starts.

August, September & October Activity wanes until finally entering the dead season. Kids are in school, snowbirds are back in Kenosha, and it’s too damn hot to do anything outside. And besides, the inventory has been pretty well picked over.

November & December There are some opportunities here as families comes to visit for the holidays and become smitten with our awesome weather. Yet more often than not, these folks look now and buy after the holidays have passed.

No two years are the same. Local business growth, or decline, can skew things and when inventory is low (like now) the trends tend to go out the window. Bottom line: Now is a great time to be a seller.

Chris Prickett
Former contractor, former home inspector and funny guy, Chris Prickett is owner and designated broker of Prickett Realty. A New Jersey native, Prickett has been a top-producing REALTOR® in North Phoenix over the past decade. He has been a columnist since 2005. Over the Prickett Fence is published weekly by In&Out Publications.

Chris Prickett

Former contractor, former home inspector and funny guy, Chris Prickett is owner and designated broker of Prickett Realty. A New Jersey native, Prickett has been a top-producing REALTOR® in North Phoenix over the past decade. He has been a columnist since 2005. Over the Prickett Fence is published weekly by In&Out Publications.

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