Every fall, dozens of second-home shoppers who spent the summer touring Methow Valley properties reach the same crossroads: commit now, or wait until April. The buyers who spend another year ‘thinking about it’ usually pay more, wait longer, and end up with a lesser property. Here’s how to make the decision well.

Every year around Labor Day, the Methow Valley real estate market changes character. The tourists go home, the tire-kickers move on, and the buyers who stay have real leverage. If you’ve been shopping all summer and haven’t committed, September is often the best time of the year to write an offer. Here is why, and how to use it.