This post courtesy of Wired magazine, which paid me to write three pieces for its current How To issue, then cut all of them. If you're getting ready to make a big purchase, first check this calendar to see if the time is right to buy...
CARS
August: For the best
bargain on a new car, snap one up in late summer when sellers are anxious to
make room for the coming model year. Be warned, though, you’ll be less likely
to get the exact color and feature options you want, as inventory will be
getting scarce.
December: If you want the hottest car, don’t buy when new models first appear in September and October. Wait until the holiday season. “Cars are not the top choice for Christmas presents, and dealers can start getting hungry watching the traffic to the local Wal-Mart or Costco,” said Paul A. Eisenstein, publisher of TheCarConnection.com.
HOUSES
December: Single people, or
couples without children, can bargain well in the cold months. “Early winter can
be a good time for first-time buyers in normal market conditions because they
may be able to find a more motivated seller,” said Walt Molony from the
National Association of Realtors. “The downside is inventories often are lower
too.”
Springtime: Families will
do best by shopping in the spring, so they can move in summer, before the start
of the next school year. And they will have the most choices. “The heaviest
volume for sales is spring and summer,” said Molony.
COMPUTERS
June/December: The market
slacks off in early summer and early winter. “During those times, competition
for customers is high since that is when consumers have gotten used to buying
systems,” said Richard Shim of market research firm IDC. “Therefore, to remain
in the game vendors have to be aggressive with prices.”
TELEVISIONS
December: The traditional holiday season sees the
most sales and lowest prices. “Black Friday has possibly the best price on TVs,
and then the month following it is usually a good bargain month,” said Riddhi
Patel of research firm iSuppli.
Throughout the year: Vendors may offer specials at
select times of the year. “There are also retail and manufacturer incentives
offered during special events such as the Super Bowl, the week before Mothers
Day/Fathers Day, national holidays, etc,” said David Naranjo of DisplaySearch.
LARGE APPLIANCES
September/October: Like cars, new appliances tend to
debut in the early Fall, putting pressure on stores to clear out old inventory.
"Big-ticket items such as ranges and washing machines typically hit the
sales floor in September and October," said Lauren Hackett, a spokesperson
for Consumer Reports. "Last year's models tend to go on sale at roughly
the same time to make room for the new arrivals, making those months best for
getting that high-end, stainless-steel range at a lower price."
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