Fall is a time when people start winding down and moving more activities indoors. Holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas start to fill our thoughts. It’s also an ideal time to take advantage of the market to build or buy a home!

Here are six advantages to building or buying a home in the fall.

  1. The Weather
    Weather is a huge factor to consider when thinking of building or buying a home in the fall. We often think of colder weather bringing snow and frozen ground, making it difficult to build. Or we shiver at the thought of having to bundle up with coats and boots. Sometimes, it’s even hard to think about working outside or loading up the moving van. But in reality, cold and snow are so much better than the hot weather summer can bring and the rainy season spring promises – think mud! Fall is actually in between all the weather that can cause delays. Whether building or shopping for a home, fall weather is a major advantage because of the moderate temperatures.
  2. Sales, Sales, Sales
    As cooler weather moves in, most of the hectic rush to find a home or build a home begins to slow down. One advantage to a market slowdown is materials go on sale, especially lumber. So as much as you want to get your foundation prepared before winter or move into a new home before the holidays, the vendors, stores, builders, Realtors and movers want to get their products and services sold before yearend, as well. It’s a great time for sales. Shop around.
  3. The Art of Negotiation
    While you are shopping around, know that builders want to get their homes built before yearend, or at least the foundation in the ground. This means it’s a great time to negotiate a better price, more home and more features. Likewise, many sellers want to move on and sell their homes before the holidays as the market really slows down at that time. This means you can negotiate the sales price as well as other things like move-in date and possibly help with closing costs. The number one rule with the art of negotiation is to ask. The outcome is either yes or no – or a counteroffer. Just remember – it never hurts to ask.
  4. Focused Builders and Realtors
    How about having a builder or Realtor who has time for you? Personalized attention is a huge advantage to you as building or buying a home is usually the largest investment you will make in your lifetime! As the market winds down, these professionals will have more time to spend with you showing you properties, extending their advice, negotiating your offers and just not feeling as rushed to satisfy a large influx of customers demanding their time. They will be more focused on you.
  5. Spring Landscaping
    One nice thing about building a home in the fall or actually moving into a new home  – is you will have all winter to decide how you want to prepare for your spring landscaping. If you are building, this can save you some money upfront to do your own landscaping and have the springtime to plant. Likewise if you are moving into a home that is already landscaped – you will have time to decide what you’d like to change to make it look more of what you were envisioning. Fire pit anyone?
  6. New Home to Start a New Year
    A final benefit – you start the new year in a new home. All the fall planning, shopping, negotiating will pay off as you start the new year with a home of your dreams. As everyone else in the home building and buying arena gears up for another hectic season of building and buying – you are thinking of spring flowers and maybe new furniture. Congratulations on taking advantage of the fall season.

If you are on the fence about buying or building a new home, fall is actually an ideal time to take that leap of faith and take advantage of the market. New home for the holidays?

For more information on building or buying a home, please call KCSB at 269.679.5291 or visit us online at https://kcsbank.com/mortgages/ to begin. We are here to help you from the start to closing and beyond because we’ve been doing this for a long time –since 1908.

Kalamazoo County State Bank is an Equal Housing Lender.

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