Pulse: Spring Woos Land Buyers Out on the Property

The March LANDTHINK Pulse revealed that 37.13% of respondents believe that spring is the best time of the year to view property before buying it. Spring slightly edged out winter as the season most likely to bring out eager land buyers. By a difference of just 1%, more people said they believe that spring is a better time than winter to walk property before buying.

Everyone knows that spring is the best time of year to buy, right? Sure, this rings true for some people. There is an innate optimism in the season that entices buyers out of hibernation and also motivates sellers. People have been cooped up in their houses and are ready for fresh air and sunshine. There are some solid reasons why it’s good to view land for sale in the spring.

Those of us that live in the South tend to forget that some people live in states that have a real winter. In those regions, it’s easier to get around in the spring and buyers can get a clear picture of what the property (or yard, if there’s a house) would look like when not buried underneath a mountain of snow. Plus there’s more inventory on the market, so buyers are more likely to find their dream property this time of year.

The March Pulse posed the following question to our LANDTHINK audience: Which do you think is the best time of year to view a property before buying it?

Our informal online survey revealed that the LANDTHINK audience was divided on the preferred season to look at land before purchasing. A strong 37.13% of respondents said “Spring” was the best time to view property. This was followed closely by 36.14% who thought that “Winter” was a better time. Only 13.7% said “Fall”, and 13.04% said “Summer”.

Land buyers don’t realize it, but by waiting on spring to arrive, they might be missing out. Viewing property in winter offers buyers a unique vantage point. Jay Frazier, ALC, with First Weber Group Realtors points out several valid reasons to look at land in winter in his LANDTHINK article “Rural Property Prime Time”:

• The leaves are off the trees and the crops are harvested, so the visibility is great.
• There’s less competition for properties in the winter as there are fewer buyers on the hunt. In some cases, this can mean better deals.
• For hunters this is a great time of year to check for wildlife sign and make note of where they’re traveling in case you purchase the property. By noting when the last snow fall was, the number of tracks can tell a story on animal density.

Another bonus to looking at land in winter- buyers won’t have to deal with heat, humidity, mosquitoes, sand gnats, and snakes while walking a property. Buyers should keep in mind that each season has something different to offer. Ultimately, the best time to view and buy land is whenever it’s the right time for you.

Here are the final results:

• 37.13% said Spring
• 36.14% said Winter
• 13.70% said Fall
• 13.04% said Summer

Thank you to everyone who participated and shared the Pulse with friends and connections in the land industry.

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