Three Benefits of a Back-To-School Home Search

Did you miss your summertime window to find the home of your dreams? You’re not alone. Whereas two years ago, the NationalAssociation of Home Builders estimated that roughly two-thirds of homebuyers took at least three months to find their home, the game has changed completely in 2022. For many homebuyers, it’s a game of chance – many time sending in a bidding war – as Realtor.com predicts the year will end with home sales at a near 15-year high, second only to those historic highs we witnessed in 2021. While you may have preferred settling in BEFORE the school year began, Green River Builders would like to propose a few perks that come from conducting your home search once the kids head back to school.

1)     History Will Likely Be on Your Side

Although the housing market is making NEW history on a virtually daily basis, if we take a look back at sales cycles overtime, the Fall typically marks a seasonal sales slowdown. Traditionally, the cycle ramps up in the Spring, peaks in the Summer and settles down in the Fall.This is due – in large part – to the return of the school year. Some parents don’t wish to disrupt their children’s adjustment to a new school year, so they take their foot off the proverbial home search gas. In addition to less competition from homebuyers, this slowdown will allow builders to ramp up construction – increasing inventory levels. According to Realtor.com, the best time to buy a home is the first week of October. Beyond looking for existing inventory that will allow you to move in quickly, if you’re in the market for a brand-new home built to your specifications, this is likely the ideal time to shop. While the average new home construction cycle is roughly 8months, due to the challenges of labor and supply shortages, that timeline is often extended to 10 months to a year. If you don’t wish to move your kids in the midst of the school year, consider the fact that you may find the ideal combination of home site and floor plan now. Then you can sign a contract, launch construction and move in closer to NEXT summer.

2)     Time Will Likely Be on Your Side

Did you spend the summer running your kids to camp, playdates, baseball practices, days at the pool and trips to the park?With the little ones back in school during the day, it might be easier to conduct part of your home search online and take trips out to explore communities during your lunch breaks or free time. Call ahead to schedule a tour of available homes and home sites. For Green River Builders’ Trove in Watkinsville, call 770-790-1096 to set an appointment with our onsite sales team at Platinum Key Realty of Georgia.

3)     Ensuring Your Child’s Potential New School is the Right “Fit”

For some parents, the quality of the education their children will receive is a major deciding factor in their upcoming home purchase. Once you’ve landed on a community and floor plan you love, you can take advantage of the fact that school is back in session and request a behind-the-scenes tour of your kids’ prospective new school. While COVID-19 has impacted protocols at some school systems, it never hurts to ask, and you might just score a tour with a faculty member who can give immediate answers to your questions. This is a wonderful option that might not be possible during the summer months and will give you a chance to get a sense of the atmosphere and culture. You can also explore the private school options nearby to see if that might be a better fit.

In the event that you find the home you’ve been looking for and can move in during your kids’ school year, GreatSchools.org offers up some great tips for easing children into a new school environment.Whether that home is in one of our communities or in the community of another builder, the team at Green River Builders wishes you the best of luck in your home search! To learn more about us, our communities and our luxury lake homes near Lake Oconee, pay us a visit at www.GreenRiverBuilder.com!

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