March is here! But spring still seems a long way off. My driveway is a sheet of ice, it's too cold to be outside for any length of time and remain comfortable, the skies are grey... and buyers are wondering - "where is all the inventory of houses for sale?" I have heard this question many times recently - from buyer clients, friends, people in line at the post office, etc. I assure everyone I speak with that we can certainly expect to see more and more houses coming on the market as the weather improves and as spring gets closer. It does seem to be taking awhile this year though, I have to say:
How can the poor dog find the bone she buried last summer when her yard is crusted over with many inches of snow? How can the poor dog find the bone she buried last summer when her yard is crusted over with many inches of snow?
It feels as if we are nearing the tipping point. Buyers are eager to see inventory, and we have word of a number of listings coming on towards the end of March or early April. My colleagues tell me the same of their seller clients - listings will be coming on this month. I have to believe that this trend is similar in other local real estate offices as well.
If we all just keep the faith, since this pattern is well-established in the Pioneer Valley, we will see some great houses coming on the market imminently. While it would be nice to have a more steady selling and buying season throughout the year, we realtors have come to expect this pattern of March though July being super busy, things slowing down in August, picking up again in the early fall and becoming extremely quiet from Thanksgiving through New Year's. While there are always exceptions to the rules - based on our experience (and our specific knowledge about upcoming new listings) this is what we predict.... A healthy spring market around the corner!
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