The accepted wisdom in real estate is that spring and summer are better times to sell your home. Some vendors and agents swear by this, but the winter market can benefit both buyers and sellers.
Although stock levels typically dip during winter - and this year has been no exception with volumes down across the country - demand remains fairly consistent throughout the year.
Ray White Auckland agent Heather Walton says that for sellers, less competition can help well presented homes stand out.
"People still need homes to buy but there's often not a lot on the market so listing in winter is good time to showcase your property in a less crowded market," she says.
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LJ Hooker general manager Keith Niederer agrees: "Listing volumes are likely to increase in the spring. It doesn't make sense to hold off listing to when a whole lot of other properties are on the market. The sooner you sell, the better the price," he says.
Selling in winter requires a slightly different approach to summer, when buyers are more focused on indoor-outdoor flow.
Niederer says little things can make a difference, such as clearing the garden or garden path of leaves.
Walton believes creative thinking is sometimes required to win buyers over. "Everything about your house should feel warm and cosy. Put the fire on and brew some fresh coffee. One of my clients recently did a slow roast that made the whole house smell wintery and yummy," she says.
She is equally enthusiastic about the benefits of buying in winter. "You are never going to see a property any worse than you are in winter, when it's pouring with rain and dark. Buyers can assess a home in ways they might not be able to in summer."
City Sales managing director Martin Dunn says the apartment market is generally untouched by the seasons, citing economic factors as bigger drivers of market activity. "What influences saleability is interest rates, immigration, and the general economic mood of the nation," he says.
