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Buying a home? Wait two weeks

Buyers have an opportunity this spring to get a good deal on a new home.

While there is no “glut” of inventory in the downtown neighborhoods, the number of listings is high, meaning sellers will have to either be willing to negotiate or have something to offer unique from the competition, if they want to sell, now.

Working against you as a buyer, the number of new listings in Boston Proper has dropped down toward, over the past couple days. Meaning, if you are a buyer, I think what you see out there today is what you’ll have to choose from.

If the property you like today is still on the market on May 1, I suggest making your best offer, then. Say, 10% less than full-asking. See what the seller thinks. If he/she comes back at 1% less and it’s not a “must-have”, let them sweat. If they come back at 5-7% off, take it. Close the deal by May 10.

Don’t wait too long. Other buyers will be doing the same thing. Buyers who are committed to buying this spring will want to get the best deal, and want to get a home under agreement by May 1-10 and closed by June 1-15. You’ll be competing against them for the “good” stuff.


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5 Responses to “Buying a home? Wait two weeks” »»

  1. Comment by Steven | 04/24/08 at 9:35 am

    From what I’ve seen house-hunting, your advice seems pretty accurate. However, I’m not sure why you write with a sense of urgency. Why close by May 10th? Why not wait?

    Some buyers such as myself may just decide to rent and wait it out (cheaper anyway) until more inventory comes along. It’s not that I don’t want to buy or have the means to, it’s just a lack of choice for reasonably priced properties. Why settle for something you don’t really like?

  2. Comment by kate | 04/24/08 at 10:05 am

    John,
    What do you think about waiting even longer, say until June/July? I’m not in a hurry and my sense is that the market will continue to be a bit frothy thru May w/ buyers and sellers all pretty entrenched. I would rather wait until the bulk of the spring market has passed and then see who’s ready to make a deal.

  3. Comment by John A Keith | 04/24/08 at 10:58 am

    My guidance is based on the idea that most people who are looking right now are interested in buying now, sometime this spring. If you have an open schedule for moving, then you should wait until you find the “perfect place”.

    The reason to do it during May is that a lot of sellers are looking to wrap things up by the beginning of summer, at the latest. My experience has been that a lot of owners who can’t sell by Memorial Day or soon thereafter will pull their listings and wait until the fall. (The same thing happens in the fall - owners pull their listings when they get into the holiday season.)

    I think you might find that by June / July, all the “good” stuff is either under agreement, or off the market.

  4. Comment by Suze | 04/24/08 at 7:43 pm

    “I think you might find that by June / July, all the “good” stuff is either under agreement, or off the market.”

    Why not wait until the listings that go off the market come back on at a lower price?

  5. Comment by John A Keith | 04/24/08 at 7:53 pm

    Suze, if people want to wait until fall, then that’s an option.

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