One of the questions we're asked the most is "When is the best time to put my home on the market?". These days I respond differently than I did ten years ago. Back then, I would have said you're fine if you have your home on the MLS by Easter or even sometime in early May. That was considered the unofficial start to the selling season. But I have a different answer now. I suggest you list your home for sale sometime in February, if possible. By doing that, you'll catch the early bird home buyers, plus there will be less competition with other homes.
This week, it's going to be sunny and 77 degrees in Dallas, so that's already getting people out. Our phones are already ringing off the hook. Don't worry about the grass being brown and leaves not on the trees. The home itself is what's important. If the home hasn't sold by May, every good agent I know will rephotograph the exterior.
In small markets like those in Fairview, Lucas, and Parker, every home sale has consequences. That is, there's one less buyer for the rest of the other homes in the area later in the year. You can bet good homes without issues won't be around by June and agents and buyers know that. That encourages buyers to make their buying decisions earlier in the year. More homes now sell between February and the end of May than what many still consider the peak selling season, June and July, and by August things really start to slow down because parents are focused on schools, not home buying.
I'm writing this on February 4th and my recommendation is to spend the next three weeks preparing your home for showings with the plan of getting it on the MLS by the end of February or early March at the latest. If that's moving too quickly for you, there is now an MLS feature called "Coming Soon", which gives the seller the ability to show the home is coming, although no showings are allowed. That gives you another month to prepare.
