Key Takeaways
- Summer is one of the most active selling seasons in the DMV — families time moves around school calendars, creating a predictable demand spike from May through August.
- Curb appeal matters more in summer: overgrown landscaping, heat-damaged lawns, and faded paint are immediately visible and suppress perceived value.
- Pricing your listing ahead of the summer rush (late April/early May) captures the first wave of buyers before competing inventory accumulates.
- Staging for summer means emphasizing outdoor spaces, maximizing natural light, and ensuring HVAC is serviced — buyers in summer heat notice a hot or stuffy house immediately.
Summer is historically known for being the hottest time to list your home. Sellers can expect the highest gains and buyers can expect a larger inventory of homes. This is due to obvious reasons like better weather for moving and of course summer vacation for students allowing for a great time to make a big change like a move. This blog will give buyers and sellers tips on how they can make the best of the summer market in their area.
Tips for Sellers
Since sellers will likely face more competition with more listings on the market, it’s important that the aesthetics of the home are up to par. Here are some tips on how to prepare your home before listing it:
- Make sure to request your agent to provide you with a report of comparable properties before choosing a sales price.
- Keep a well-manicured lawn and plant flowers for curb appeal.
- Clean the windows, roof, and gutters of the home.
- Repaint the outside and inside of the home. Check online for recommended colors or ask your real estate agent for their opinion on paints.
- Update your house numbers or mailbox.
- Make sure to have professional photos taken of the home after these updates.
- Ask your real estate agent about creating a virtual video tour of the home and where they will be listing the ads for the home. Social media, Google Ads, and Facebook ads are a great way to reach potential buyers.
Tips for Buyers
Summertime is just as busy for buyers as it is for sellers. Considering the increase in competition we’ve compiled some tips on how to make the best of this season:
- Prepare for buying by contacting a real estate agent and loan officer if you plan on using financing. Make sure to secure a pre-approval letter from your lender to give you extra buying power.
- Make sure to consider closing and down payment costs. You may have to show up to 60 days’ worth of bank statements.
- Consider touring listings that have been on the market for longer periods of time so that you can better negotiate the sales price.
Whether you’re a buyer, seller, or real estate agent, we hope this blog better prepares you for the summer season. Your success is of the utmost importance to our team. Good luck!
