The conventional wisdom is ?yes.? Here?s what the data says As fall turns to winter, renters across the country may find themselves in the unenviable position of orchestrating a move into a new apartment or house in the bitter cold. Most do this simply because a life event has dictated it: a new job or a new significant other that has prompted a move in December.
But some might see a silver lining in moving during the winter, thinking they?ll get a rent price break by signing in the winter months. Seasonal variance in rent has long been conventional wisdom in the housing industry, but will you get a better deal if you plan a move as the rain is turning to snow"
The unsatisfying answer is that it depends. In a vacuum, there is a seasonality trend in rents whereby the late winter-early spring months are slightly lower and the late-fall months are slightly higher. The problem is that no housing market exists in a vacuum, so, practically speaking, timing a move in the winter to get a rent break is a dubious strategy that may not pan out. ?We always tell people you shouldn?t try to time the market,? says Aaron Terrazas, Zillow?s director of economic research. ?You should move or buy a home because big life changes are happening?you need an extra bedroom because you?re having a kid, [or] you?re retiring and moving to a different climate. Those are the reasons to move, not because of a couple dollars difference in timing the market.?
Historically, rents usually peak in ...