Every year around this time I have the same conversations.

Buyers are watching.

Sellers are thinking about it.

Everyone is “waiting to see what happens.”

The interesting thing is the market rarely sends a personal invitation.

It does not knock on your door and say, “Okay, now is the perfect time.” It moves quietly. Inventory shifts. Rates adjust. Competition increases. Confidence builds. And suddenly the people who were watching are reacting.

Right now we are in one of those transition windows.

New listings are coming online. Serious buyers are already out. Some homes are sitting. Others are moving quickly. The gap between “well prepared” and “just listed” is getting wider.

If you are a seller, this is not about timing the absolute peak. It is about preparation and positioning. The homes that look sharp, show well, and are priced strategically are winning. The ones that test the market without a plan are not.

If you are a buyer, this is not about guessing rates perfectly. It is about understanding your numbers and recognizing opportunity when it appears. Hesitation often costs more than movement.

The biggest advantage in this market is clarity.

Clarity on your budget.

Clarity on your timeline.

Clarity on your goals.

When you have that, decisions become simple.

If you are even thinking about making a move this year, now is a great time to start the conversation. Not because you need to act immediately. But because having a plan always beats reacting under pressure.

The market is moving.

The only real question is whether you are ready when the right opportunity shows up.

Everyone talks about the “spring market” like it starts in March or April.

But this year, it’s already here.

We are only in early February and we are seeing a wave of new listings hit the market. Our marketing team is booking photo shoots days and sometimes weeks out. The weather has turned surprisingly nice. Buyers are out at open houses again. It feels like spring showed up early.

And that creates an opportunity most sellers miss.

The myth about waiting for spring

A lot of homeowners think:

“I’ll wait until the spring market when more buyers are looking.”

The problem is this also means:

More competition.

When April hits, everyone lists at once.

More signs on the street.

More homes online.

More options for buyers.

And when buyers have too many options, homes sit longer and sellers start competing on price.

Why earlier can actually be better

Right now, you get the best of both worlds.

Less competition

Serious buyers still shopping

Homes stand out more

If there are only a few listings in your neighbourhood instead of twenty, guess which ones get all the attention?

Yours.

I am already seeing homes get strong activity simply because they are one of the only options available.

The behind-the-scenes reality

Here’s something most people don’t see.

Marketing teams, photographers, stagers, and agents get slammed once the true spring rush hits.

Right now:

Photo calendars are filling up

Stagers are booking ahead

Launch timelines are stretching

If you wait too long, you might not even be able to hit the market exactly when you want.

Getting ahead of the rush means:

Better scheduling

Less stress

A smoother launch

And often better results

The weather is already working in your favour

This year especially, the weather has been surprisingly good.

Blue skies, dry days, brighter light.

That makes a big difference for:

Photos

Curb appeal

Showings

Your home simply looks better when it is not grey and pouring rain.

The bottom line

The best time to sell is not when everyone else does.

It is when buyers are active and inventory is still low.

Right now, we are in that sweet spot.

If you have been even thinking about selling this year, it might be worth having the conversation sooner rather than later. A little head start can mean less competition and a stronger result.

If you want to chat about timing or what your place could sell for in today’s market, I am always happy to help.

With the big game just a few days away, a lot of agents automatically write off Super Bowl Sunday as a “no open house” day. But here’s something to consider. Not everyone watches football.

While kickoff out west isn’t until 3:30 pm, that actually creates a nice window earlier in the day. Hosting an open from 1 to 3 pm can still catch serious buyers who would rather house hunt than sit through pregame coverage. In fact, some buyers intentionally use quieter weekends like this to shop with less competition and less crowd pressure.

Historically, Super Bowl Sunday can be a bit slower for open houses, but slower isn’t always a bad thing. The traffic you do get tends to be more motivated and more focused. Fewer lookie loos, more real conversations.

If you’re already available and your listing is ready to show, it can be a simple, low effort opportunity to capture buyers while other agents stay home.

Sometimes the best strategy is showing up when others don’t.