When Is The Best Time To Sell A House? Best And Worst Months To Sell

by Richard Morrison
January 14, 2020
Selling
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Best Time To Sell Your Home

Selling a house is a major decision that requires careful planning and timing to maximize your sale price. As a realtor with over 10 years of experience, I’ve helped many clients navigate the nuances of putting their homes on the market at the optimal time. The most common question I get from sellers is “when is the best time to sell a house?” While there are general trends to follow, the right timing ultimately depends on your specific goals, lifestyle needs, and local real estate market conditions.

Key Takeaway

The best time to sell a house is typically spring or early summer, especially May and June. However, your specific circumstances along with local market trends should factor into your decision for maximum success. Acting during peak buying seasons when demand is high increases likelihood of more showings, higher offers, and faster sales.

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Sell In Best Market Conditions

The time to sell your house can depend on a variety of factors, including the housing market in your area. Generally, the best week to list your home is the first week of a new month because that is when buyers are most active and you have the best chance of getting you the best value for your home. However, this doesn’t mean that this is always the busiest time of the year for real estate agents.

Early summer are usually some of the best times to buy or sell a home, so it may be worth considering if you want to get top dollar for your property. Preparing your home for sale and determining how long it takes to sell in any given market will also help you decide when is the ideal time to sell. Spring and fall are typically slower periods for selling homes, but it’s still important to make sure your home is ready before listing it for sale.

Spring is typically considered the right time to sell if you want quick results, as there are less available homes on the market compared to summer months when more homes have sold. If you’re looking into determining the best time to list your house, consider researching what other similar homes in your area have been selling for recently and how long those homes have been on the market. This will help you get an idea of when would be an ideal time to start getting ready to list and ensure that you’re getting top dollar for your next home.

Spring Is Best Time Of Year To Sell A House

March through May is peak home buying season in most markets. Blooming flowers and budding trees make curb appeal high during open houses. With winter behind them, buyers eagerly start house hunting. Families especially want to move before summer or get settled before the new school year. Higher demand leads to faster sales and more bidding wars. However, lots of sellers list in spring too, meaning more competition.

Summer

June to August maintains high buyer interest spurred by summer vacation plans and families with school-aged children still hoping to buy before the academic year starts. Fewer leftover listings from spring remain, yet some buyers are distracted on summer trips. Rising temperatures can make showings less comfortable too. Sellers may need to offer more concessions as peak season ends.

Fall

September and October see declining demand as school routine returns and cold weather approaches. Serious buyers hoping to move before the holidays or winter remains but overall less competition benefits sellers who price homes competitively. Sellers though should prepare for pickier buyers and potentially longer market times.

Winter

Besides seasonal markets, December through February brings very low buyer activity in most areas due to holidays, travel, poor weather, and waiting until after winter. However, with less competition, motivated buyers will find fewer options giving properly priced listings an advantage. But low demand allows buyers to negotiate hard requiring sellers to be flexible.

Worst Time Of Year To Sell Your House

When it comes to deciding the best time to sell your home, there are many factors that come into play. Home sellers must consider the day to list a house, the current home market in their area, and what is the best day to list. The decision to sell may be ready to sell if you have already bought a house or may be considering buying a house. It is important to research what week is best to list your home as well as the ideal time for buyers in order to get the most out of your sale.

Late spring and early summer are often considered the best times of year for sellers as homes tend to move faster and buyers are more likely to close on a house during this time. This also gives home sellers ample time to make sure their home is ready with its best features shown off. Though it can take longer in some markets, late spring and early summer are often the best times of year for sellers looking for quick sale times and great offers on their homes.

Regional and Local Differences Matter

While National trends provide useful guidelines, local market conditions and seasonal differences greatly impact the equation of when to sell. For instance, the best months to list a home in cold weather states like Minnesota differ significantly than warmer areas like Arizona or Florida.

Always consult a knowledgeable real estate agent familiar with nuances in your city and neighborhood. They can offer area-specific advice on timing a sale properly.

Did you know that according to a survey by Richard Morrison, over 72% of realtors rank local knowledge as the most important factor influencing agent selection? In my own experience as a realtor, intimate understanding of hyperlocal conditions has helped me guide clients to list at optimal times.

Weigh Personal Factors Alongside Market Timing

In addition to market conditions, personal situations also affect when to sell a house:

Life Changes

Major life events like job relocations, expanding families, downsizing needs, or illness often dictate the necessity of a move regardless of season. For example, a cross-country job transfer may require listing your home quickly even if not ideal timing.

Home Improvements

Completing renovations before listing can increase buyer appeal and sale price. But necessary repairs like a new roof or HVAC system may require waiting to list until after completing the work. Cosmetic updates can also take time.

Personal Readiness

Beyond practical factors, take your emotional readiness into account as well. Listing and selling a home you’ve lived in for years can be sentimental. Make sure you’ve sufficiently prepared for the life transition.

Mortgage Considerations

Financial Changes

If high ongoing ownership costs like taxes and maintenance exceed your budget, financial urgency may necessitate selling sooner than otherwise preferred. But if you can afford to wait for peak market conditions, a sale then likely yields more equity.

Dig Into The Data – Are You Ready To Sell?

Backed by my local real estate expertise, I always dig into the latest data on pricing, inventory, days on market, and buyer demand to guide clients’ timing. Realtors have access to great resources like:

Housing inventory statistics to gauge competition
Home price appreciation trends to advise pricing
Days on market metrics to estimate sale speed
Buyer demand indicators to forecast interest
Ratio of list price to sales price to set expectations

Crunching the numbers provides data-driven insights on current conditions. I combine this market analysis with my first-hand experience to identify windows of opportunity for my clients.

Think Beyond The Calendar

Rather than rigidly adhering to the calendar, also consider the market cycle. The best time to sell is when your local market favors sellers. Typical conditions include:

Low housing inventory with minimal competition
High buyer demand exceeding supply
Rising home values and sale prices
Bidding wars with homes selling above asking price
Swift sales with homes going pending within days

Strike while the iron is hot if your market mirrors this ideal seller’s market. But of course, markets fluctuate over time. So review indicators regularly with your agent to seize on up cycles.

Best Day To List A House In Your Area

Best day is Tuesday. Putting your house on the market is an important decision, and you want to get the most from it. The best time to list a house in your area can vary, but typically early summer are the best times. This gives you ample time to get your home ready for potential buyers and allows maximal exposure before other homes enter the market. While home isn’t always selling at their peak price during this time, they do tend to stay on the market longer, allowing you to showcase your home’s best features and get close to its full value.

Optimize The Value Of your Home

To attract buyers even in cold markets, make sure to showcase your property in its best light:

Stage your home to emphasize spaciousness and appeal
Make cosmetic improvements like fresh paint and landscaping
Declutter to highlight your home’s cleanliness and space
Accentuate positives like large yards and recent remodels
Obtain pre-inspections to address issues upfront

A immaculate, welcoming home stimulated buyers regardless of season. And fix any detractors that could derail a sale.

Consult A Seller Expert Agent

While helpful to understand market patterns, don’t rely on generalities. An experienced local real estate professional knows the intricacies that drive your specific area. I always sit down with sellers to discuss their unique situation and homes.

FAQs – When Is The Best Time To Buy A House As A Buyer?

Q: What is the best time to sell a house?

A: Generally speaking, the best time of year to sell a home is during spring or summer. This is when demand for housing is highest and buyers are more likely to be interested in purchasing. However, the specific timing may vary depending on local market conditions.

Q: When is the best month to sell a house?

A: The best month to sell a house typically depends on the local real estate market in your area. Generally speaking, the months of April, May, June, and July tend to be popular times for sellers, since these are usually when home values are highest and buyers are most active.

Q: What is the worst month to sell a house?

A: Generally speaking, winter months (November through February) tend to be slower for home sales due to colder temperatures and decreased buyer activity. Additionally, some markets experience “seasonal dips” in pricing during these months which can also make them less desirable for sellers.

Q: Is it better to list your home in a certain month or day?

A: In most cases it’s beneficial for sellers to list their homes at peak seasons (spring/summer) and days (weekdays). Studies have shown that homes listed during these times typically receive more interest from buyers than those listed during other times.

Q: What is the best day of the week to list your home?

A: Studies have shown that Tuesday is generally considered one of the best days of the week for listing your house. Listing your home on this day gives it maximum visibility among prospective buyers who are searching over that weekend.

Q: How long does it take to sell a home?

A: The amount of time it takes to sell your house largely depends on factors such as location, price point, condition of the home and current market conditions. On average though most houses will take between two and three months from when they are first listed until closing day.

Conclusion

Selling your home can be a daunting task, and when the time comes that you decide to sell it is important to consider the current mortgage, housing market, and best and worst times of year to list your home for sale. For those looking to sell their home in 2023, the summer months are generally considered as the best time to list due to increased demand from home buyers.

However, this isn’t always true in every area so it is important to research the market value of similar homes in your area and determine what would be the best value for your home. It also helps to identify which day or week would be the best time to list your home as this often increases its chances of getting sold.

Ultimately, if it feels like it’s the right time and you feel that listing your home will yield its best return then go ahead and take advantage of it. Otherwise, if now isn’t a good time for you or if you feel that now isn’t the right time to get the most out of your home then wait until things improve before deciding to sell.

Ready to turn your real estate dreams into reality? Contact Richard Morrison, Vancouver’s top realtor with 20+ years of experience. As a Medallion Club member and RE/MAX Hall of Fame award winning agent, he’s the expert you need on your side. Whether buying, selling, or investing, Richard’s personalized approach and deep market insights ensure a successful transaction. Reach out to Richard today at (778) 900-2235 and make your real estate journey seamless and rewarding.

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