Did you know that there is an ideal time to sell your house? Not just ideal for you, but literally there is an ideal two-week-period of the year where houses tend to sell 18.5 days faster than any other month, and for 5.9 percent more money. (Source) If you want to maximize your money, you’d be well served to sell your house during this time period. But, that’s not the only time you can make good money with the housing market... Read on to find out what our real estate expert has to say.

What are the best months to list a home for sale?

Generally, the spring months are your best bet when it comes to listing your home for sale, shooting for early May. Why? Let’s ask our expert!

Oregon realtor, Tyler Reese shared that early May is the peak time to list a home because, “you want to get ahead of other homes coming into the market. Listing early in the sunny days of spring can help you get that curb-appeal, HGTV-perfect looking house, which can help you reach the top of a crowded market.”

Obviously, curb appeal is majorly important when it comes to selling your house. You need your home looking gorgeous in the listing photos, and in real life. According to Fortune Builders, “Curb appeal sets expectations. Prospective buyers are more inclined to look inside if they like what they see on the outside. First impressions make a difference when it comes to selling a home.”

Selling a Home in Spring

Pros

Peak curb appeal season
The market heats up in spring with more buyers and more viewings
More competition means you’re more likely to receive multiple offers

You could make significantly more money than your asking price if the local market is hot enough

Cons

More competitive market means that your house needs to be in top shape
More looky-loos and casual buyers

Selling a home in fall

Pros

Less competition in the market
Fall gardens can be gorgeous and colorful
Fall decorations can be a major bonus in your listing photos
Buyers tend to be serious in the fall
You’ll likely be able to sell before the holiday season

Cons

Less buyers can mean less viewings
Families are busy and focused on their childrens’ school activities and less likely to want to move between districts after the school year has started
Falling leaves can mess with your curb appeal if you’re not careful
You can’t go as wild with Halloween decorations as you might like

Selling a home in the winter

Expert Insight: Tyler Reese shares, “People tend to disregard the period right after the holidays, January 2nd-January 20th, because they assume nobody wants to move in a colder month. However, people often go through life changes over the holiday season and there are a lot of eager buyers”

Pros

Most buyers are serious and want to move quickly
Snowy houses can have some MAJOR curb appeal
Fewer listings in the market mean more eyes for your listing

Cons

Moving when it’s cold can be rough
You’ll have to do more maintenance and shoveling on your driveway/walkways if you live somewhere snowy
Not as much competition in the market, so you won’t have endless buyers available

Selling a home in summer

Pros

Longer days mean more showings
Easy to maintain yards and driveways for maximum curb appeal
Features like pools and beautiful backyards look especially enticing in the summer
Families often look to move in the summer

Cons

Your local market may be saturated by the time summer comes around
You can’t exactly go on a summer vacation while you’re selling your home
It can be more expensive to keep your house in showing-shape with the added costs of running air conditioning or watering your lawn

Alright, so what’s the absolute best time to sell my home?

Personally, I would probably sell my home in the winter. I like a serious buyer, and I’m not too bothered by the cold. I don’t think I would enjoy the casual lookers in the springtime, mostly because I don’t want to have that many strangers in my house!

Our editorial director, Melissa, had a different take though. She said she’d probably list her home in April or June instead of May because, based on this advice, so many people will list in May. If you list your home early you could get the early birds, if you list in June you might get people who are super eager to buy something after trying for months. Though she does admit that the practicality of listing in April or June instead of May could also depend on how nice of a spring you're having.

There are pros and cons to selling your home in every season. While your real estate professional might suggest springtime is best, don’t worry about feeling like you’ve missed your opportunity in the real estate market if you’re not ready to sell in the spring! The true “best” time to sell a house is when it works best for you.

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Sarah Thibeau

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