You’d have to be living the life of a hermit to not know that when it comes to buying and selling residential real estate the spring market is a fierce one.

There are a number of reasons for this, perhaps the largest of which is that most families want to move into their new home by summer. But September and October can also be great markets and a prime time to sell or buy a home. Here are the reasons why:

The Beauty of Autumn – They say spring is the optimum time to show off your house thanks to springtime blooms but we beg to differ. At no other time is our landscape a gorgeous kaleidoscope of colour than in fall. Rust, gold, red, green, orange are nature’s way of giving back and transforming neighbourhoods into picture-perfect communities. In many ways, the show of colour is evocative of fall’s many pleasures – fires, crisp cooler temperatures, warm sweaters, football and brandy.

The Rascals are Occupied – We’re referring to school-aged children, of course. There’s a fair bit involved whether buying or selling a home and having children to contend with only makes it more complicated. A lot can be done while they’re occupied at school or with extracurricular activities.

The Living is Easy –While fall has its fair share of festivities and holidays what with Labour Day, Thanksgiving and Halloween, these celebrations aren’t too disruptive or intrusive such as, say, Christmas. So your day-to-day living is actually pretty normal. What better time than to sell or buy a home?

Less Competition – The bulk of sellers list their properties in the springtime so that means there’s less on the market if you’re thinking of selling during the fall. That puts you in the driver’s seat, especially given the crush of buyers clamouring for a home.

Move in Dates are Flexible – Many people buy in September and October with the hopes of being in their new home by the Holidays. Typically, though, sellers tend to be more flexible because they understand families don’t want to move on Christmas Eve so expect more wiggle room on dates and deadlines.

Motivated – Homeowners who list in fall are known to be more motivated. They are also more likely to negotiate a little more with buyers.