What Is the Average Time to Sell a House in Atlanta?

What is the best time to sell a house in Atlanta?

Seasonality, the length of time it takes to sell a home, and the final sale price are major factors in real estate.

“The seasons are huge. At the beginning of the year, in January, people are getting their homes ready. Then, in February, that’s when people start putting homes on the market. March, April, May, June, and July are really the hot months — the biggest months here in Georgia because it’s a very school-driven area. Then it cools off a bit into the fall, and by late fall, it cools quite a bit,” says Price.

• Best time for more money: Based on HomeLight’s Best Time to Sell Calculator’s transaction data, June is the most favorable month if you want to get more money for your Atlanta home. Closing usually takes about three months, so listing your Atlanta property in March could result in a sale price that’s 5% to 8% higher than the yearly average.
• Best time to sell fast: If your priority is to sell your Atlanta house fast, our data indicates that the quickest home sales occur in May. Listing your house in February could help you close the sale three days sooner than in any other month, given the usual three-month period from listing to closing.

Remember, these are averages and trends that can help guide your decision, but individual outcomes can vary. Want to get a personalized estimate for the best time to sell your home? Use our Best Time to Sell Calculator for insights tailored to your specific location.

What factors influence the home-selling timeline?

When it comes to selling a house, several factors can impact how quickly it sells. These range from the home’s specific attributes to broader market trends and the pricing strategy you employ.

If your home ticks some of the boxes of being less desirable, like having a yard in poor condition or needing a fresh coat of paint, consider how you can lessen this impact by staging the house creatively or highlighting other parts of the property that are more appealing.

What will help my Atlanta house sell faster?

To maximize the chances of a fast home sale, you’ll want to emphasize the most desirable aspects of your property and to entice Atlanta-area buyers. Here’s a list of tips to help your Atlanta house sell faster:

• Emphasize desirable features: If your home has desirable features that Atlanta buyers often seek, such as an office, a large yard, an open kitchen, or proximity to highly rated schools, make sure these are prominently featured in your listing.
• Minimize the downsides: If your home has small bedrooms or sits next to a busy street, consider ways to minimize these issues. For instance, you could use creative staging to make smaller rooms appear larger or invest in window upgrades to mitigate traffic noise.
• Use home staging: A well-staged home can help potential buyers visualize living in the space and can often lead to quicker sales and higher selling prices.
• Price it right: An overpriced home can sit on the market longer, so ensure your home is priced competitively based on recent sales of comparable homes in your area. Your agent can provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA), a report that informs your pricing strategy as it takes into account factors like property location, size, condition, and current market trends.

We’re starting to see homes at the higher price points sell faster, over $1 million. There’s a really hot market right now between $1 million and just over $1 million in the North Atlanta area, especially North Cobb,” says Price.

“Homes are selling very quickly, and they’re usually in really nice shape and updated. On the other hand, the lower-priced homes in the $400k to $500k range also sell quickly because of the price point — a lot more people can afford those,” he adds.

Remember, what works best for your home sale will depend on your particular property and circumstances. Working with a knowledgeable real estate agent can help you sell your home quickly and efficiently.

How should I prepare my Atlanta house to sell?

Preparing your house for sale is essential for attracting buyers and achieving a fast and profitable sale. Here’s a list of preparation tips when selling your Atlanta home:

• Deep cleaning: A clean house gives buyers a positive first impression and shows that the home has been well-maintained.
• Decluttering: Free up space to make your home appear larger and allow buyers to imagine their own belongings in the house. This can also help with staging.
• Applying fresh paint: A fresh coat of paint can make a home feel new and inviting. Choose neutral colors that appeal to a wide range of buyers.
• Address needed repairs: Fix any minor issues, like leaking faucets or chipped paint, to prevent buyers from using them as an excuse to negotiate the price down.
• Enhancing curb appeal: To attract more buyers, improve the home’s exterior with well-maintained landscaping, freshly painted doors, or new outdoor lighting.
• Stage the property: Home staging can help buyers visualize living in the house. This can include arranging furniture or adding decor to enhance the home’s appeal. From staging only the key rooms to renting a few statement pieces, there are many ways to reduce home staging costs.
• Tidy up outdoor living spaces: In the Atlanta area, outdoor living spaces like patios and pools are highly desirable. Make sure these areas are clean, inviting, and well-lit for evening viewings.
• Service the cooling systems: Ensure your AC unit is serviced and working optimally, as buyers will likely check this in Atlanta’s high temperatures.

Remember, each house will have unique preparation needs. A local real estate agent can provide tailored advice for your property.

Price recounts a property in which listening to an agent’s advice yielded three competing offers for the seller.

“It was listed at $1.008 million in Alpharetta, North Atlanta. The sellers originally wanted to price it at $1.050 million, but I talked to them about the importance of not staying too long on the market. They were motivated because they’re under contract on another house closing at the end of this month, so they didn’t want to carry two mortgages. They listened to my advice and listed it at $1.075 million. Now, they have three offers and will likely go over the list price,” he says.

How can I decide when to sell my Atlanta house?

Deciding when to sell your house will differ for every property and homeowner. Personal circumstances, market trends, and the specific attributes of your home will play a role. Here are some steps to help you make this critical decision:

1. Evaluate your personal and financial situation: Consider why you’re selling and if now is the right time based on your personal and financial circumstances. Do you need to relocate for a job? Are you looking to downsize or upsize? Do you need the money from the sale for another investment?
2. Understand the market: Research the current real estate market conditions in Atlanta. Are homes selling quickly? Are prices rising or falling? A local real estate agent can provide insights into these trends and help you understand what they might mean for your sale.
3. Analyze your home’s readiness: Consider the condition of your house. If it needs significant repairs or updates, it might be worth delaying the sale until these tasks are complete.
4. Use available tools: Utilize tools like HomeLight’s Best Time to Sell Calculator, Home Value Estimator, and Net Proceeds Calculator to get personalized estimates to help plan your home sale.
5. Consult a professional: A top local real estate agent can offer invaluable advice tailored to your specific home and situation. They can provide insights into local market conditions, help you understand how your home compares to others on the market, and guide you through the selling process.

Price adds that sellers need to be aware of their emotional attachment to the property. This can skew what sellers believe their home is worth, making it difficult to price the home effectively for the market.

“All sellers think their home is better than the others selling in their neighborhood, for one reason or another. Or let me rephrase that — they think it’s better than it really is because they have an emotional attachment to it,” he says.

Additionally, he stresses the importance of what an agent can offer regarding expertise, particularly as opposed to when property owners sell on their own.

“You’re going to get more exposure working with an agent. You’re not just getting the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) — because a for-sale-by-owner can do MLS too — but with an agent, you’re also getting more exposure on social media. A lot of top-producing agents like myself have a huge database of past clients and a strong network of realtors we’re in touch with regularly. So, you’re just going to get more pull,” he says.

“With for-sale-by-owner, they’re doing it once in a while. It’s like anything — you want to hire a seasoned professional. One of the biggest reasons you hire a realtor is for their experience — to help you avoid mistakes, to navigate the deal, to make sure you’re getting the best deal on price, the inspection, the appraisal — all of it. You want someone who’s done it before and knows what they’re doing. That’s the main reason to hire someone instead of going it alone,” he adds.

How can I sell my Atlanta home fast for cash?

There may be circumstances where you need to sell your Atlanta home quickly and are willing to accept a cash offer to expedite the process. While a cash offer will typically mean accepting a discounted purchase price, the speed and convenience may be the solution you need if you are relocating for a job, dealing with financial difficulties, or managing an inherited property that you can’t maintain.

While you could reach out to individual house-buying companies or look for “We Buy Houses” websites, there’s an easier and more efficient way to sell your house for cash — through HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform.

Simple Sale connects you to one of the largest networks of cash buyers in the U.S., streamlining your home sale process and letting you control your move-out date.

By answering a few questions about your home and selling plans, you can receive an all-cash offer with no obligation in as little as 24 hours. This means you could close on your Atlanta home sale in as few as 10 days.

Ready to sell your Atlanta home?

Selling your Atlanta house can be a significant undertaking, but knowing the average time it takes to sell and the factors that can speed up the process can give you a competitive edge. By preparing your house effectively, pricing it right, and timing your sale, you can optimize the selling process and potentially achieve a faster sale and a better price.

You might want to sell your home on your own, but it’s important to understand that selling your home for-sale-by-owner can result in you earning less money overall. Data from the National Association of Realtors shows that FSBO property typically sells for $55,000 less than properties sold with the help of a trusted agent.

“Listings are very important for the real estate market, and there are a lot of listings right now. The reason for that is that there’s a huge demand from people wanting to sell. But with rates being so high, it’s hampering buyers,” Price says.

“Buyers are a lot more picky now than they have been in the past because they’re paying way more for the same house they were looking at two years ago. That’s slowing down the decision-making process on the buyer side. And when you combine that with sellers who aren’t willing to reduce their price, that’s what’s causing the longer days on market and more price reductions,” he adds.

If you’re considering selling your house in Atlanta, you should seek expert advice tailored to your needs.

HomeLight can connect you to top-performing local agents who have a track record of selling homes quickly and for the best price. These agents can provide valuable insights into the Atlanta market and guide you through each step of the selling process.

“If you’re a seller: listen to your agent. Be aggressive with your pricing. Price with minimal negotiating room — price to sell — and you still have a chance to sell quickly and even get over list,” Price says.

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