M
arket Insights

    We're about to celebrate a milestone - our friends' kids are getting married. As the mother of sons, I'm excited to see them grow into fine young men, but it's also a reminder that "grooming" isn't just for weddings. At Compass Realty, we're preparing properties to hit the market in mid-August, and many of our Sellers use up to $50,000 in non-interest loans from our Compass Concierge program to pay for improvements.

    We often debut homes in August instead of waiting until after Labor Day, as the fall market has gained nearly three additional weeks. The fall market runs from mid-August through Thanksgiving, followed by a quiet winter market that picks up again in January. If you don't have to sell between November and January, it's better to wait for the spring market with stronger Buyer demand.

    Any serious commitment requires thoughtful planning, just like buying a home or getting married. We love working with Sellers who contact us months in advance, giving us time to prepare their homes for market. With a long runway, we can oversee the work and ensure everything is lined up before January 2026.

    We're currently working on bathroom updates at three properties that won't sell until 2026. Some Sellers want to start early, expecting prices to rise due to threatened tariffs. While we don't know if the market will improve next year, we do know that supply and demand drive value, not what you think your house is worth.

    If there's "grooming" required at your home, consider getting on top of it sooner rather than later. Not only will this serve you well when selling, but you'll also enjoy the improvements while living in the house. Buying a home requires similar obligations to taking on a spouse - both are labor of love, require work, and involve long-term commitments.

    How can we help you? At Compass Realty, we're consultants in all things house and home, here to educate, explore, examine, and refer. We take care of your home as if it were our own.