The answer isn’t always clear if you’re wondering how long it takes to sell a house in Quebec. Time varies and the real estate market fluctuates. Selling a home is an important step in a homeowner’s life and understanding the real estate market is an important part of the process.
Real estate agents in Rawdon and the Lanaudière region can help you get a better understanding of how long it takes to sell your house.
Average time it takes to sell a house in Quebec
The time it takes to sell a house depends on the region. In our experience, it takes an average of 90 days (3 months) to sell a property.
That said, there’s no way of knowing exactly how long it will take to sell. Some sales can be completed in one month, while others can take four, five or even more months. For example, in the Joliette agglomeration in 2023, the APCIQ estimated that it would take 40 days to sell a single-family home, or just over a month. That’s faster than most other locations.
What factors delay the sale of a house?
Many factors can influence the sale of a home. That’s why there is no clear answer because of seasonality, market value inflation, or even property location. Some sales can be closed in one month, while others can take five or more months to close. Here are some factors that need to be taken into account:
1. Property type
Depending on whether your property is located downtown or in a rural area, the sales time may differ. Urban homes may appeal to most buyers over rural houses.
People tend to favour buildings that will require the least amount of renovation work. The age, structure and condition of your home all influence the time it takes to sell. Is your home a duplex, a condominium or maybe a single-detached house? The type of house for sale and its property are important factors that can delay a sale.
2. The region
More attractive regions, such as large cities or tourist areas, generally have a higher demand for homes, which can shorten the selling time. In densely populated areas, there are more potential buyers, which can also shorten the selling time.
Our lead times are average for the Lanaudière region. The regions in greatest demand are Montreal, the Eastern Townships and the Laurentians. The Lanaudière region ranks 4th.
3. The price
Obviously, if you put your house up at an inflated price, you’ll have little chance of selling quickly. Today’s buyers are quite well informed, and make numerous comparisons in these difficult times, and rightly so.
That’s why it’s so important for you, as sellers, to carry out a real estate appraisal of your property, so that you can market it fairly.
4. Market time and season
The market moves month by month, season by season. If you sell your home in the middle of summer when people are often on vacation and already spending their savings, the competition is tough.
There are times when demand is very high and times when demand slow. A real estate broker will be able to help you determine when to sell or buy in a real estate market.
The best time to sell a house
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the best times to sell are February to May, for primary and secondary residences, and September to November, especially for Plexes. The best month is February!
5. Home staging
The one factor that can delay the sale of your home can be how you market your property. If the price is too high, if your interior is not clean and tidy or if additional work is needed on your home, your home may not sell, or it may take a long time to sell.
It is important to have a strategy for making your property attractive to potential buyers. The support of a real estate broker will improve your opportunity to sell more quickly. They will be able to help you to:
- Draw up a detailed marketing plan
- Assess the market value of your property
- Strategically stage your home
- Organize and manage visits
Stages of closing a house sale in Quebec
We often talk about marketing, but the selling process can be overlooked. Administrative formalities also add to the selling time. Special cases, such as estate sales, also need to be considered, as the subtleties of the situation and the complexity of the estate can lengthen the sale time.
However, there are some general stages in the sale process.
Offer to purchase
Given by the buyer. This is the price they propose for the purchase of your home that includes a deadline for a response by you. It is courteous to respond within 48 hours of receiving an initial offer.
Remember to respond to all promises to purchase, even if the answer is no. Your real estate broker will present all offers to you. They will help you decide whether you should accept or decline an offer. For example, some offers will be well priced but will contain requests for additional inspections. Be sure to read through everything and consider all offers and additional requests.
Counter-offer
This is given by the seller. If you are interested in an offer to purchase, but you get stuck on something, you can make a counter-offer. For example, you can seek to renegotiate the price or decline some requests made in the offer to purchase.
During this time, the buyer who made an offer is likely to seek a loan or mortgage. They may propose a counter to your counter-offer. This process continues until an agreement is reached between the two parties.
Signing the deed of sale
The signing of the deed of sale includes the services of a notary to proceed with the drafting of the documents needed to sell a house. The real estate broker can assist you by helping to gather and prepare all the paperwork required for the transaction and advise you on ways to minimize the time needed to finalize the process.
All these elements can take several weeks or even months. From the seriousness of the buyer to negotiating terms of the sale, there are several actors at play. Working with a real estate broker will help you tie loose ends together in a timely manner.
How to sell your house quickly
- To sell a house quickly it is generally advised to:
- Set a fair price for your property;
- Have renovations done if necessary;
- Showcase your home with photos and a professional description;
- Use an experienced real estate broker.
Selling with or without a realtor makes all the difference. Some people are reluctant to call on a broker because of the broker’s commission, which they may find high, but the help of an expert not only offsets the price literally, but his knowledge and network mean that the property usually sells much faster.
Save time selling your home with Courtier Immobilier Lanaudière
Entrusting the sale of your property to a real estate broker will allow you to reduce the time to sell your house. They know how to promote your house in a competitive market and help you sell it fast.
Contact us today! The experts at Courtier Immobilier Lanaudière are dedicated and passionate RE/MAX brokers. If you need help selling your Quebec home faster, we’re the team for you. We carry out all the visits, without exception, so that you are free from the stress of the sales process .
