The best time to sell a home, according to national data
Zillow reports that the best time to sell a house to get the highest price and minimize time on the market is in the spring — specifically, during the first half of May. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Though homes listed for sale during this window sell nearly two weeks faster than average, and for an extra $2,500 to boot, a big part of that has to do with weather-related factors.
In parts of the country where all four seasons exist, spring has the advantage of attracting potential buyers who are done hibernating and are ready to do the legwork of visiting homes in person. Houses also tend to have more curb appeal in the spring, when flowers are blooming and grass is vibrant and green. But in some parts of the country, seasonal weather doesn’t come into play nearly as much, and if that’s what you’re dealing with, you’d be wise to work with a local real-estate agent to understand what factors influence home prices and time on the market in your area.
Selling your house in the spring
As stated above, spring is a popular time to sell a home because as the weather gets warmer, buyers are more willing to go out and explore. The benefit of selling in the spring is that the weather will generally cooperate. Therefore, if your house offers nice Curb Appeal, it’ll be most evident during that season. Furthermore, preparing your home for a sale might be easiest during the spring, assuming you’d most likely rather not be repainting your fence or staining your deck when it’s broiling or freezing outside. (Keep in mind that certain exterior maintenance items, including the just-mentioned examples, often can’t be performed in extreme temperatures anyway.)
Another good reason to sell your house in the spring is that families with children generally prefer to move at a time when the school year won’t be disrupted — namely, summer. However, it usually takes 30 to 60 days or more from the time a home contract is signed to the time its actual closing date arrives. Therefore, families eager to move during the summer will need to find and make offers on their homes several months prior.
On the flipside, selling your home during the spring could work against you if your neighborhood is saturated with competition. This especially holds true if your property doesn’t have any distinguishing features that give it an edge. By contrast, if you sell at a time that’s less popular, you might land in a scenario where your house is the only one of its kind on the market for months. If you have END buyers who are desperate to move to your area and can’t wait, you stand to command a higher price.