Know When to Buy

Just like buying a house, buying appliances and home improvement items is all about timing.  Here’s Realtor.com’s month-by-month guide on when and what to buy.

Linens: January

Find deep discounts on bedding, bath towels, linens, and other related products during January “White Sales,” with closeout prices both online and in stores.  You can also find deals on linens in August when students head back to college and department stores are pushing dorm room supplies.

Furniture: January and December

Shopping after the new year can save you some serious money.  Designers and manufacturers release new designs in February, making furniture stores eager to ditch their outdated inventory, which takes up a whole lot of floor space.

Televisions: February and November

Black Friday is a no-brainer for TV purchases, but you can also take advantage of Super Bowl frenzy in late January and February to score a great deal on a big TV.  But it’s not just Super Bowl demand that lowers the price – the latest and greatest in TV technology is unveiled at January’s Consumer Electronics Show, which drives retailers to discount older models to clear the store.

Snowblowers and shovels: April and May

Don’t wait till snow falls to buy your cold-weather gear – buy out of season. Pick up a new snowblower and shovel in the early spring, when no one is thinking about snow and retailers are setting up barbecue and patio furniture displays.

Carpeting: May

If you’ve been waiting to go wall to wall hit up your local carpeting center this month. Homeowners are too busy thinking about flowers and landscaping to bother with indoor renovations, so you’re likely to find good deals.

Gardening supplies: April

Everyone’s stocking up on gardening supplies during the spring.  You’ll find big-box home improvement stores such as Lowe’s and Home Depot competing for customers with amazing “Spring Black Friday” sales, usually in middle to late April.

Tools: June and November

Families looking for the perfect Father’s Day gift make June a great month to refresh your tool collection. You’ll find sales on everything from drills to nails to saws. Black Friday is another great time to catch especially good deals on tools.

Outdoor furniture: July and August

Don’t buy new patio furniture at the beginning of the season – wait until late summer.  The bulk of buyers have already done their shopping and retailers are putting deep discounts on their inventory.

Picnic and grilling supplies: August and September

You’ll find some discounts on new picnic and grilling supplies in May and June, but the best deals will be found in August and September.  Retailers are pushing out inventory to make room for snowblowers and other winter items.  If you need a lawn mower, pick it up at the same time to score an even better deal.

Major appliances: Holiday weekends

Those holiday markdown sales really are the best time to buy new appliances. If you’re shopping for a new fridge and Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or any other major retail holiday is around the corner, hold your horses.  Different holidays are better for different bargains. Memorial Day is best for that fridge, because new models arrive in June. Look at Labor Day and Columbus Day for washer-dryer units, dishwashers, stoves, and ranges, whose lines are often refreshed over the holiday season.

Paint: Summer holidays

Homeowners typically paint when the weather is warm.  Look for paint promotions during Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends, a great time to stock up on your favorite colors.

Real Estate Bottom Line

If you can time your home improvement projects to coincide with the best sales for those items, it’s a great way to save money!  And it’s a great feeling when you get a rock bottom price!