Selling your home in the summer Canberra market

Summer and Christmas collide at a time of year when home buyers are frantic to settle their biggest piece of festive season shopping.

Justine Burke of Luton Properties Weston Creek & Molonglo Valley says the end-of-year deadline ups the pressure on buyers to secure a property.

“Most of them want to buy a home, get the contract settled and to move in before Christmas,” she says.

“They certainly want to ensure that school enrolments are also in place so they can relax into the new home for a few weeks.”

Burke says the pressure to secure a home in the lead-up to Christmas also affects prices.

“While buyers are super keen, a lot of owners decide to hold off putting their homes on the market,” Burke says.

“As supply tightens, we often receive really strong pre-auction offers as buyers try to outwit their competition.”

• Related articles: How to keep your indoor plants vibrant in Canberra’s climate

• Related articles: Which Canberra neighbourhood is best for me?

• Related articles: What are the chances of my Canberra home passing in?

Stephen Bunday of LJ Hooker Dickson says buoyant summer sales are a highlight of the Canberra property calendar.

“We are usually really busy in the first quarter of the year when Canberra experiences a boost in new arrivals,” he says.

“But supply can also be very tight and listings are often down.

“I remember one year when I had 60 groups waiting to inspect a very humble home in the Belconnen area,” Bunday says.

The LJ Hooker principal says that despite the supply levels, buyers are still looking for residences that push all the right buttons: price, kerb appeal, plenty of space for the family – and pools are enjoying a new level of popularity.

TIPS FOR BUYING & SELLING IN SUMMER

Timing. Spring is the best time to begin looking if you want to be in a home by Christmas. The new year also heralds the arrival of new entrants to the housing market.

Be prepared. A tightening of supply into the early part of the new year may mean being willing to make a strong pre-auction offer if you want to secure your dream home.

It’s in the detail. Sellers should present their properties in the best possible light. If you put off a spring clean in September, now’s the time – before the sign goes up.