Buying a house this summer? Realtors reveal 5 essential things to know ahead of time will save you many a headache or disappointment

Warmer weather, longer days, and school vacations make summer a great time to look at moving home.

However, this peak season for real estate promotes some unique challenges when looking for your dream house and registering your interest, with higher competition and slower lenders possibly standing in the way of your perfect sale. Luckily, real estate experts have all the tips you need to put you ahead of the sunshine rush.

Here’s what you need to consider when looking to buy a house in the summer months.

Buying a house in summer

Although the paperwork and general process are the same, shopping for a new property in summer can feel a lot different from buying a house in spring, or buying a home in fall. The market changes significantly and with it, the prices and availability.

1. Competition will be higher in most states

Because of the longer, dryer days, most home markets will see a boom of properties for sale, and forgetting about the competition is one of the top home buyer mistakes.

Robert Washington, broker at Savvy Buyers Realty explains, ‘Regarding home buying in the summer, there is usually more competition from other buyers and sellers tend to have the upper hand during negotiations.’

It is worth mentioning, however, that this is not the case in every state. Robert continues, ‘In Florida, for example, where we are located, summer is typically our slower season. Buying here in the summer will likely mean lower levels of competition from other buyers and an increased likelihood of having more favorable terms being accepted by sellers.’

2. Prices may be higher

Alexei Morgado, realtor, CEO, and founder at Lexawise warns, ‘Because competition between buyers is higher in the summer, prices can rise due to this increased demand that motivates several offer scenarios. Studies have shown the busiest moving times of the year occur during June, July, and August.

‘Strong offers may be made by motivated buyers who want to act quickly, which can make the buying process more challenging even though there's a higher amount of listings.’

Just because prices and competition are higher, doesn't mean you should ignore the signs a house isn’t worth buying. It is better to miss out on a property than end up with an unexpected fixer-upper home.

To beat the mad rush, Alexei instead suggests, ‘You can start your search earlier than others to find the house of your dreams, secure a mortgage pre-approval to clearly understand your budget, and position yourself as a serious buyer, something that sellers always appreciate.’

3. There will likely be more choice

If you want to increase the likelihood of finding your forever home, summer might also be the best time for you to get moving.

Alexei explains, ‘Normally, summer comes with a higher home inventory, and the number of sellers listing their properties in the summer gives buyers a lot of options to choose from. Plus, scheduling open housing and viewing property inspections is more easily done during longer daylight hours and nicer weather.’

4. Warm weather could hide faults

Unlike buying or selling a home in winter, warm summer weather and bright sunshine can hide a myriad of faults.

Nathan Richardson, founder and real estate expert at Cashforhome advises, ‘Do not skip inspections because the summer heat creates the perfect cover for red flags like leaky roofs, damp walls, and other issues that could end up resulting in costly repairs.’

There are some structural issues you can’t afford to ignore when buying a property, so create your list of acceptable maintenance work and stick to it to avoid a home that becomes a money pit.

5. Lenders may be slower

Key jargon a first-time buyer should know can be confusing at the best of times, but couple that with longer wait times to lenders to approve lines of credit, and the process can feel a little disorienting. You must be prepared for delays in the busiest real estate season of the year.

Robert Washington-Broker warns, ‘The home buying process can be a little slower during summer than other times of the year due to kids being out of school and a higher likelihood of travel. Plus, lenders and title companies tend to move a little slower during the summer since they are short-staffed due to some of their team members vacationing and higher demand.’

A good file organizer with tabs, such as this expandable file folder, from Walmart, makes keeping track of all the essential paperwork easy. It is also easy to take with you to viewings and meetings.

Meet the experts

Robert Washington

Robert is an experienced realtor, founder, and lead broker of Savvy Buyers Realty.

Alexei Morgado

Alexei is a licensed real estate agent with over five years experience in the Florida market.

He founded Lexawise to help revolutionize real estate exam preparation, providing aspiring agents with a user-focused platform designed to enhance their learning experience.

FAQs

What season is the cheapest to buy a house?

Typically, winter offers the most affordable house prices as there is less demand through the colder weather and around the holidays. On the opposite side of the spectrum, summer is the most expensive, as people take advantage of school vacations and drier weather to make moving easier.

Alexei concludes, ‘While it's important to move fast, you must ensure that you make good decisions supported by assessments and inspections. Do not be afraid to be flexible because by being open to adjusting your criteria or timeline, you could gain more options to find a property that meets your needs. And last but not least, make sure you work with a good, preferably the best available, real estate agent.’

If you are on the other side of the coin, there are several things to know about selling a home in summer to help you stand out in a busy market, too.