If you waited until spring, what would you do with the extra time?
That’s one of the first things I ask when a seller is deciding whether to list before the holidays. Maybe you want to finish the primary bathroom. Maybe you’d like one more holiday in the house with your family. Or maybe you’ve already found your next home, and waiting means paying for two homes for several more months.
Once I understand what those months would mean for you, we can look at the numbers together.
Selling now
Before I recommend a listing date, I look at what a buyer could tour this weekend in your neighborhood and price range. Then I look at what comparable homes actually sold for. If your home is ready and the recent sales support your price, I’d be comfortable recommending a launch before the holidays.
For a current read on your area, see my latest market updates for Bel Air, Beverly Hills and Brentwood.
Waiting until spring
Waiting gives you time to get ready. You can fix the small things, take care of the repairs buyers always find, and answer the insurance questions before a buyer asks. For a hillside home, this matters a lot. For a buyer using a mortgage, trouble getting the coverage their lender requires can delay closing.
But waiting has a cost too. You keep paying taxes, insurance and upkeep for more months. And nobody can promise a better price in spring.
What will you actually keep?
Before you choose a listing date, I’d ask escrow to prepare a seller net sheet at two or three realistic sale prices. It estimates what you’d receive at closing after your mortgage payoff, commissions, closing costs, any buyer credits and applicable transfer taxes. For a higher priced home in Bel Air or Brentwood, that may include the City of Los Angeles Measure ULA tax. A home within Beverly Hills city limits falls outside that tax.
Then I’d put one more number beside those estimates: what you expect to spend on mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance and upkeep between now and spring. How much more would your home need to sell for in spring to cover the cost of waiting? That’s the number I’d want you to have before you decide.
So, now or spring?
The right time is not on the calendar. It is when three things line up:
- Your home is ready. Really ready, not almost. My Seller’s Guide covers what that means before you go to market.
- Your price is based on what buyers are paying now, not what your neighbor asked last year. Here’s why getting the price right matters more than ever.
- The move fits your life, not just the market.
If all three are true today, waiting won’t make them more true. If they’re not true yet, use the next few weeks to get there, and go to market strong in the new year.
If you’re weighing the two dates, I’d be happy to walk through both options with you. Call or text me at 310.800.4969, or email asal@asalhomes.com.
Warmly,
Asal
