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Elizabeth R. Elstien, Realtor turned real estate writer & educator (Self Employed at Elizabeth R. Elstien: Write, Research, Edit, Sell, Educate)

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Rainmaker
4,572,439
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

In my market(Southern California) the calendar may not have as much influence as other parts of the country.  My belief is that real buyers buy and real sellers sell...and they are doing it year-round.  

As far as tax purposes, that is something best addressed with a client's tax professional.  

Sep 13, 2016 05:07 PM
Rainmaker
1,543,833
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

It really depends on where in CA and what kind of market it is...but in general, October is a busy month in San Diego. I can't give tax advice.

I always laugh at the "should we wait?" question clients ask, because we don't have a crystal ball. What I can share with clients is I know what rates are doing now. The rates more than home prices are the decider because you live in the payment not the price.

Sep 13, 2016 03:50 PM
Rainmaker
1,197,497
Peter Mohylsky, Beach Expert
PMI. Destin - Miramar Beach, FL
Call me at 850-517-7098

October is a busy month in Florida. I am not sure what you mean by old rule of thumb. I have never heard of this fact.

Sep 13, 2016 07:55 PM
Ambassador
1,453,069
Susan Emo
Sotheby's International Realty Canada - Brokerage - Kingston, ON
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

I'm in Canada just across the border from New York.  Sept & Oct are always busy months!

Sep 14, 2016 02:35 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

people buy all year.... there is nothing special about October except the coming holidays....and people buy during the holidays....homes are staged to reflect Christmas.... the market is good and we need to take advantage of every day....

Sep 14, 2016 12:27 AM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

This is a regional phenomenon. In Florida, we are frantically building inventory, same in California

Sep 14, 2016 12:03 AM
Rainer
232,019
Jessie Cochran
Counts Real Estate Group, Inc. - Panama City, FL
Panama City Realty Group

October is a good one here

Sep 14, 2016 12:00 AM
Rainmaker
989,652
Jennifer Mackay
Counts Real Estate Group, Inc. - Panama City, FL
Your Bay County Florida Realtor 850.774.6582

Historically we get busy during October and November

Sep 13, 2016 11:38 PM
Ambassador
5,230,119
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

'Tis the season for half-backs here - those who moved from the north to FL and are tired of hurricanes and hot weather!  The problem this year is finding homes for them - our inventory is incredibly low here.  

Sep 13, 2016 11:27 PM
Rainmaker
1,844,301
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I'm in the Midwest & it's the sellers last effort before winter hits when buyers do not want to look for homes. You would think with the interest rates the way they are, a slowdown would not occur but it will.  It always does. 

But ... I will say that many years October has been a top selling month for me.

When I do my monthly reports you can see it play out this way each year. I'm sure other markets are totally different.

 

Sep 13, 2016 11:17 PM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Here in NH, the fall market can be as busy as the spring market. There are less homes for sale, but sellers who do list are looking for that quick sale before winter arives. Buyers looking to buy are ready, willing and able to work fast, make a good offer and strive to close before the Holidays and before winter. 

Sep 13, 2016 11:00 PM
Rainmaker
900,128
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

There may be "seasonal specials" in October, e.g. if owners got the use of the property over the summer and don't want to hold it over the winter, they might be more eager to sell. Then there is the perception that homes don't sell in the winter, especially in colder climates and sellers wait for the proverbial "spring market".

Sep 13, 2016 10:28 PM
Rainmaker
5,005,659
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

October is a busy month in Texas. It's the height of the fall market. Anyone expecting to close by the holidays is out looking. I'm with Michael Jacobs "My belief is that real buyers buy and real sellers sell...and they are doing it year-round. " 

Sep 13, 2016 10:05 PM
Rainmaker
7,836,431
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Blog about the results of your survey.

Sep 13, 2016 09:16 PM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

What the market is like in October depends on your locale. I would never generalize about any market.

Sep 13, 2016 09:04 PM
Ambassador
6,393,609
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

For those who keep up the lead gen habit things never slow down.

Sep 15, 2017 10:48 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Elizabeth R. Elstien - common belief is - market is slow so stop.

It does not happen that way, though.

Sep 18, 2016 04:56 PM
Rainmaker
711,852
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

In Central Oregon, we experience strong sales through October. After school starts, we see retirees, second home buyers, and job transfers as our major buyers. During this time, owners of inventory which didn't sell during the summer are sometimes more motivated to price adjustments to sell; this can be a great time to pick up deals.

Sep 16, 2016 02:55 PM
Rainmaker
5,868,565
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Our sales pick up again right after Labor Day and go strong thru around November 15th.

Sep 16, 2016 06:09 AM
Ambassador
3,727,873
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

I think that October will be a seller's market here.

Sep 15, 2016 11:36 AM
Ambassador
3,164,294
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

real estate is local.  I see no slowdown this time of year.  In fact we tend to see northerners moving to my market this time of year.

Sep 14, 2016 02:14 PM
Rainmaker
2,224,473
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

I typically don't see things slow down until close to Christmas. 

Sep 14, 2016 01:07 PM
Ambassador
2,684,109
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

"The Season" starts in most of Florida, with snowbirds coming in from the North and from Canada.

Sep 14, 2016 10:58 AM
Rainmaker
1,157,785
FN LN
Toronto, ON

October is busy in my area.

Sep 14, 2016 05:27 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I think this varies from region to region and market to market.  It does slow a little in my market in Florida.

Sep 14, 2016 04:41 AM
Rainmaker
644,125
Greg Large
ERA Real Solutions - Grove City, OH
A Tradition of Trust

Just a mild slow down but not so much in October, and no "unloading" of inventory. DOM "generally' increases only slightly late fall through winter.  People need to buy and sell no matter the season.

Sep 14, 2016 04:06 AM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Every market will be different.

Sep 14, 2016 01:48 AM
Rainmaker
4,936,716
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Thinks slow down in November because of the holidays

 

Sep 14, 2016 01:46 AM
Rainmaker
1,239,901
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

Nothing slows down here. Timing of returning to schools catch the time has virtually no impact on buying and selling.  

Silicon Valley, No CA

Sep 14, 2016 01:21 AM
Ambassador
5,049,477
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

It may more on the market and probably varies quite a bit around the country - not sure October is such a crucial month necessarily, other than perhaps wanting to buy and move before the hol.iday seasons. Buying for tax purposes should be discussed with their accountant, not their agent.

Sep 14, 2016 12:29 AM
Ambassador
3,345,091
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

It is not an issue in my area of San Jose and the Silicon Valley, California.  The market may see some temporary slows yet people are buying and selling all year round ... even during December. 

Sep 14, 2016 12:23 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

October can be a good month in real estate where buyers and sellers are trying to get moved before the holidays. I see the slowdown in November and December for listings.

Sep 14, 2016 12:19 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,173
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

There are tides & cycles in Real Estate and things like interest rates and high rents that lead to exceptions...One thing though, Real Estate is always being bought or sold or rented for that matter....Its just a question of how much

Sep 13, 2016 11:39 PM
Rainmaker
1,617,916
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

It is always busy here in Phoenix. We now have the Snow Birds in town.

Sep 13, 2016 10:44 PM
Rainmaker
4,883,248
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

People buy and sell homes every day of the year.  Your job should be to find those that are going to do it today.

Sep 13, 2016 10:07 PM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Michael Jacobs nailed this one!

Sep 13, 2016 09:40 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

There are many people who like to move before winter. 

Sep 13, 2016 09:38 PM