Why "Is It a Good Time?" Is the Wrong Question

Everyone wants a simple yes-or-no on the market. But the answer that actually matters has almost nothing to do with the market and everything to do with you.

I'm not even joking when I tell you that one of the most common questions I get is, "Katie, is it a good time to buy?" or "Katie, is it a good time to sell?" So let me let you in on one of the biggest real estate secrets there is: that's the wrong question.

When someone asks that, what they really want is for me to look at the market and hand them a simple yes or no. But that's too simplistic for one of the biggest financial moves of their lives, and it leaves out the half that matters most: your life.

I've watched people wait years for the market to look exactly like their idea of "perfect." It never texted, emailed, or told them now was the time. Meanwhile, their family outgrew the house, and the right home came and went.

Here are the three questions that will actually get you somewhere, in the order that matters.

1. Start with your timing, not the market's. The real question isn't what the market is doing. It's what you're doing. What's happening in your life and your family's life right now? Are you crammed into a house that's just too small? Is there a job change, or a school you're trying to get into? The best time to move is almost always about your timeline, not the market's mood.

You can buy in a perfect market and still make a terrible call for your family if the timing is wrong. And you can buy in a tough market and end up making the best decision you've ever made.

"The market doesn't tell you whether to move. It tells us how you'll move once you've decided the timing is right for you."

2. Be honest about your life factors. Next, take a real, honest look at the practical stuff: your finances, your job stability, and how long you actually plan to stay in this home. And this is the real estate boss mom talking to you now. I'm not here to talk you into a house. I'm not trying to sell you anything, and I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I'm here to make sure you make a move you can comfortably live with, because this home is meant to be a blessing, not a curse. When the timing in your life lines up, that's your green light, and it matters way more than whatever the headlines are saying the market is doing.

3. Then, and only then, look at the market. Once you've worked through those first two, now we look at the market, the Phoenix, Mesa, or Gilbert area, whichever one you're in. Notice that the market comes last, not first. It's the conditions you're working within, not the thing that decides for you.

Here in Phoenix, our market moves in cycles, and you've watched it for a while now: up, down, sideways, buyer's market, seller's market, balanced. Some seasons are more competitive than others, and all of that matters, but it matters for your strategy, not for whether you're allowed to move. If it's competitive, I'll show you how to win. If there's more room to negotiate, we'll use the strategies that get you the best possible deal. The market doesn't tell you whether to move. It tells us how you'll move within it, once you've decided the timing is right for you.

So flip the question. The next time you catch yourself about to ask, "Is it a good time?" stop, and ask yourself first: Is it a good time for me? Then let's figure out the rest together. I'll help you look at your timing, your situation, and exactly where Phoenix is in its cycle, and I'll give you the straight answer once we have all the details, even if that answer is "not quite yet, let's get you in a better position first."

When you're ready to have that conversation, pick up the phone and call or text me at 480-415-1341, email me at Katie@Living48re.com, or visit living48realestate.com. I'm Katie Evans, your real estate boss mom here in the greater Phoenix metro, and I'm here whenever you're ready to ask the right question.