companies that can help you make the transition as smoothly and hassle-free as possible. Sometimes, your agent might even o ff er to pay for these moving expenses if you’re willing to consider buying in the fall or winter. CONDUCT YOUR OWN LOCAL RESEARCH I’ve repeatedly been pointing out that home buyers should seriously consider taking full advantage of the fact that, generally, and in most cases, home sale prices start to decline in the fall, with winter o ff ering the best deals. However, it’s critical that you conduct your own local research fir st before deciding on the best season for you to purchase your home. “It’s important to remember that real estate markets vary, so the best time to buy a home in your area may diff er from overall national trends,” according to Nationwide. Talk to your agent to determine whether your target market fi ts the general patterns of lower home sale prices in fall and winter, or if there’s something else going on. For example, if you live somewhere in the southern states where temperatures are generally milder throughout, you might not fin d that much of a diff erence between buying in spring vs. buying in fall, or even summer vs. winter. Moreover, other circumstances, such as economic downturns or overbuilding new homes, could cause home prices to fall, regardless of the season. RESEARCH PRICING TRENDS Do some research into recent pricing trends in your area. You can go online to look at statistics, or talk to your agent about pricing trends and whether they match seasonal recommendations. Th is extra information will help you determine whether buying in the fall or winter is the right decision for you, because the bottom line is that you want to fin d the right house for the right price. A good 39
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