Should You Wait to Sell or Buy a Home in Clark County?

Many homeowners in Clark County and Southwest Washington are asking the same question: Is now the right time to make a move, or should I wait until next year?

Recently, I spoke with a homeowner who wanted to sell her house and purchase a smaller one-level home to enjoy during retirement. She believed it would be smarter to wait until the market improved because she had heard it was no longer a strong seller’s market.

While this assumption is common, the truth is that waiting may not always serve your long-term goals.

Why Waiting to Sell May Not Be the Best Strategy

If you are planning to sell without purchasing another property in the area, it can be tempting to wait for market conditions to improve. However, attempting to time the real estate market is always risky.

Today, homeowners in Clark County are still receiving offers at or very close to their asking prices. While it is true that bidding wars are less frequent than they were several years ago, the market remains strong and stable. If your goal is to sell and move out of the area, postponing your sale may not guarantee a better outcome and could, in fact, cause you to miss favorable conditions that exist now.

What Homebuyers Should Consider

Many buyers believe that waiting for interest rates to decline is the most effective strategy. However, when rates eventually drop, demand increases significantly. More buyers enter the market, prices rise, and competition intensifies.

Purchasing a home now offers several advantages:

Buyers may be able to negotiate more effectively

request concessions

avoid multiple-offer scenarios.

Additionally, interest rates can be refinanced in the future, while purchase prices cannot be renegotiated once the market shifts.

What If You Are Both Selling and Buying?

For homeowners who plan to sell their current property and purchase another home locally, the outcome is often a balance. You cannot expect to achieve the highest possible price on your sale while also securing the lowest possible price on your purchase.

What makes today’s market unique, however, is that contingent offers are more likely to be accepted. In recent years, sellers often rejected offers contingent upon another home’s sale due to multiple competing bids. The current environment provides greater flexibility, making this an opportune moment to transition from one home to another.

Should You Make a Move Now?

Every situation is different, which is why we recommend creating a plan tailored to your goals. For some, waiting may make sense. But for many, waiting could actually cost more in the long run.

If you’re considering selling, buying, or both, let’s talk through your options. Reach out anytime at (360) 800-1334 or send an email to jacqueline@evergreenrealestatepartners.com. We’re here to help you feel confident about your next move for your future.

One of the major considerations when buying or selling a home is the interest rate, and recently, they’ve dropped. What happens now? If you want to learn more about how this market shift can work to your advantage as a homebuyer, click on our post: Will the Recent Rate Drop Make Homes More Affordable in Vancouver, WA?

By Evergreen Real Estate Partners – Trusted real estate experts in Clark County and Southwest Washington