Fall season creates advantages for homebuyers

On Behalf of | Oct 20, 2017 | residential real estate

Although Florida has mild weather all year, autumn still opens up opportunities for homebuyers. Most people seeking a new home do so in spring and summer, especially if they have children who need to start at a new school. As a result, the residential property market slows down in fall. People still in the market have less buyers to compete with. This often grants them greater negotiating power.

Sellers who did not succeed in moving a home during the busy season could respond favorably to lower offers. The chance to sell before winter sets in could also make them agreeable to other concessions, such as giving a buyer a credit toward upgrades or paying more of the closing costs. Similarly, builders with inventory still available at their housing developments might discount some of their homes.

Homebuyers in the fall might also gain more attention from their real estate agents, whose schedules are not as packed as during the peak months. The off season allows agents to spend more time finding appropriate listings for their clients and tracking down answers on important issues. Purchasing a home in the fall also qualifies buyers for mortgage interest deductions at tax time after the first of the year.

Ideally, a person in the process of buying a residential property would have sufficient time to consider every detail of the transaction. The insights of an attorney could prove informative when a person has questions about contract terms, zoning laws or title issues. An attorney could research the details of the specific property and explain the potential liabilities of a purchase to the client. A legal review of the transaction documents could also let the buyer know if mandatory property disclosures have been provided by the seller.