So often people ask me, "When is the best time to buy real estate?"
The answer is always the same: between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Secondarily, the next best time to buy is July 4 to about mid-August. That's always my best and easiest answer because the buyers check out during those times. Less competition! And if a seller is on the market during those times, they want to sell and aren't testing the market.
But what if you aren't buying or selling? How can you still participate in making it feel like your year in real estate?
A few pieces of advice.
Number one, stop scrolling. Stop scrolling through apps and websites looking at properties you love to look at but aren't buying. It's a huge waste of time and I would gather that ultimately it makes you feel bad. So, stop doing that. Real estate scrolling is a hard habit to break, meaning, it will hurt. Please try.
Number two, take a look around at where you live. Whether you own a home or rent a room from someone, you have space that you call your own. What can you do in the next four weeks to make it better? What can you do now to make it a great year for you in real estate?
How about some suggestions:
Paint a wall -- get the good paint -- the one coat stuff
Paint your baseboards
Remove the cabinet doors under your bathroom or kitchen sink and add farm curtains
Change your silverware drawer. Get a new liner, freshen up your kitchen with new silverware and donate the old silverware
Head over to a second hand store. See if you can find an interesting vintage vase, then go buy flowers once a week through summer
Consider getting all new white bath towels
Get a new door mat
Walk through Target or Home Depot or your store of choice with a $100 budget. Don't spend a penny more. Buy three things for your home: a basket by the door, a couple of pillows or a new throw blanket
Get a deep cleaning
Or, do the deep cleaning yourself, but buy a pair of headphones so you can listen to podcasts, since a deep cleaning can take up to five hours
Throw out old cookie sheets that are stained and get some new ones
If you can afford it, change any carpeting in your house to new carpeting
Speaking of purging (no one was speaking of it, but it's time); purge half your wardrobe to donation and hang the rest of your clothes on black velvet hangers in color-coordinated order -- bless each item of clothing that you are donating
Hang some art on the wall! Original art if you can. Look for a deal from an online framer
Treat yourself to new bath products
Walk around your space and list five things you want to change. Then pick one from the list that is the least expensive and do it
There is no reason to doom scroll on a real estate app or think you have to buy or sell. You are not missing out. Live in the moment. Make sure that wherever you live, you're happy in your space. Freshening it up is what you'll do this year. The cheapest things on this list are deep cleaning your own house or taking a trip to a second hand store for a new vase. At minimum, we can all upgrade our homes in small ways to add the grace to our lives that we need in big enough doses to help our souls.
Kimberly Dotseth, Broker and Owner, Blend Luxury Real Estate
California DRE License #01179760 Phone: (619) 261-1909