Why June is a Great Month to List a Home for Sale in Tampa Bay

We know, we know, it’s so hard to pick the perfect time to list a home for sale in today’s fast-paced real estate market. Sellers are constantly asking themselves, “Should I sell now or wait?” We get it. However, with summer upon us, we have 4 reasons that we think June is the perfect summer month to list a home for sale in the Tampa Bay Area. Read below to find out more:

• Hurricane Season Has Not Peaked Yet- Did you know that mid-August through late October is the busiest time of year for hurricanes? While nobody likes to think about the prospect of a hurricane or tropical storm, the reality is that hurricane season began on June 1^st. If you’ve been thinking about selling a home in Florida, June is a GREAT month to do it before the storm season picks up. REMINDER: If there’s a storm in the Gulf and you’re under contract to sell your home, insurance companies won’t issue insurance once we’re in the ‘cone of uncertainty,’ possibly delaying your closing if it falls on a week with an active storm. Another important item to remember is that if a hurricane or tropical storm hits our area while your home is under contract, lenders will often require a re-inspection of the home before authorizing a closing to occur. Avoid all these potential delays and complications by listing sooner rather than later in the summer months.

• Chances of Red Tide Increase in the Summer- For a variety of reasons (think warmer water temps, polluted runoff into the ocean, changes in weather patterns, etc) the chances of our beaches being affected by red tide become greater in the summer months. Residents and fishermen in Tampa Bay are no strangers to the signs of red tide when it hits, including fish kills, respiratory distress, smelly beaches, and more. When red tide hits the beaches, it’s not a pretty sight and certainly not the ideal time to list a home on the water for sale if you’re hoping for lots of buyer traffic. To check the current red tide status of our beaches, you can always visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission HERE to see what’s happening in our waters.

• Many Families Want to Move Before the New School Year Begins-Parents of school-age children will be the first to tell you that it’s far easier to move in the summer when the kids are out of school compared to a big move in the middle of the school year! As soon as school lets out (which it just did on June 9^th in Pinellas County!) parents who are hoping to make an address change are literally ‘on the hunt’ for homes. Remember, once a home goes under contract, it can take 30-60 days for most home purchases to close. With Pinellas County Schools re-opening on August 9^th, buyers with school-age kids want to move ASAP. Some may also need a new address to get into the school zone they love before the new academic year begins.

• Housing Inventory is Still Really Low-To get the best price possible for your home, you want the least competition from other sellers. Combine that with low mortgage interest rates and lots of buyers and you have the perfect storm (but not a hurricane!) to get top dollar for your home right now. We can’t guarantee what the market will look like in 3-6 months, but we can tell you it’s better than it’s ever been for sellers right now. The future could certainly bring more sellers listing their homes for sale (aka more competition), higher interest rates, and home prices could level out…all reducing the amount of demand that you may get for your home. Don’t wait too long to take advantage of the market that got you thinking about selling in the first place!

Thinking about selling your home in Tampa Bay? We can help! 

We have an experienced team of Realtors with over 30 years of local expertise in pricing and selling properties in Tampa Bay and we would love to speak with you! Give us a call at  (727) 400-3315