Is there a good or best season to buy and/or invest in property? I am looking to buy soon and was wondering if now would be a good time?
I don't really think there is ever a season fixed when one is supposed to go out and buy, it all depends with the power within your pocket and what you are looking for specifically...just my $0.02
I think that answer would depend on where it was you were planning to buy. I work for a property management company that does condominiums exclusively, some of these condo's are adjacent to a major NY college campus. If you were looking to buy that sort of property the best time to get the best price (as a buyer) would be when a semester has already started. Before the semester starts the demand is very high so owners will not negotiate, they don't have to. Always if you can make a cash deal you have leverage in the price, sometimes in the range of tens of thousands of dollars. Other then that about the best you can thing you can do, is actually do your homework. Be aware the prices of various things, like what does a new roof run? Whats the cost of a furnace or an average kitchen remodel, and go from there. Actually things like furnances, air conditioners and hot water tanks are expected to be newer and in good working order, if not you can make the sale contingent on the owner upgrading these items, they fall under household things that are expected to be in a well maintained order. Word to the wise though, if the owner has lacked on keeping things that are life necessity items maintained you can sure as all heck bet there will be other things equally as neglected.
I believe the best season to buy is during the monsoon. That is the weather when you can actually test the condition of the house or apartment. No other season can be worser than the monsoon itself.
I also don't believe there is a "best" time to sell or buy unless the prices in the place you live in fluctuate seasonally. For example in a tourist town, prices of property could go up during the tourist season and drop slightly afterwards. That's why it's advisable to hire a real estate agent because they may know stuff like this. Nonetheless I believe the best time to buy property is when there's a slump. Prices fall so greatly that whoever buys property then stands to make a huge profit once the market stabilizes.
This is a very local question, timing does matter a little but it depends on what is affecting the price. it can be weather, school year or something completely different, so you will need to get advice from the locals.
Whatever season sees the lowest home values, although that's going to be affected by far more than the season itself. I wouldn't advise buying in the winter if you plan on renting it out because getting things prepped can prove to be quite a hassle. Some people are willing to deal with the weather, though. It truly is a local question, as crimsonghost747 pointed out.
I believe that the best season to buy is summer or rainy season. I do not think it is quite easy to try and understand everything a the house at a glance. But I'd you think about buying the place in some of worst season then you can think about how it affects the house.
The seasons don't affect the asking prices for properties on my country. However, I've always thought that you get the best picture of what a house is really like to live in during the winter months. You get to experience the house at it's coldest and determine which energy-efficiency and insulation measures are needed. The ideal situation for me would be to buy during the winter and complete in time to start any external renovations by spring.
