The Best Time to Sell Your House: Month-by-Month Data, Market Timing, and Life Event Triggers

"When's the best time to sell?"

I get this question at every listing appointment. And the honest answer is more nuanced than "spring." Yes, spring is generally the strongest selling season — but the best time to sell your specific home depends on your market, your property type, and your life circumstances.

Let me break it all down with actual data, local market insights, and the framework I use to help my sellers time their listings for maximum return.

Month-by-Month Selling Data

Based on NAR (National Association of Realtors) data, Zillow research, and ATTOM Data Solutions analysis, here's how each month typically performs for home sellers nationwide. Keep in mind: your local market may vary significantly.

January

Market conditions: Slow. Post-holiday hangover. Cold weather keeps buyers home. Average days on market: 60-80 days Price premium vs. annual average: -2% to -5% Buyer pool: Small but serious. January buyers aren't browsing — they need a home (relocation, lease expiration, life change).

Sell in January if:

You need to sell quickly due to a life event
Your home appeals to relocating buyers (corporate housing, military)
You want less competition (fewer listings on the market)

Avoid January if:

You can wait for spring
Your home's curb appeal is seasonal (gardens, landscaping, pool)

February

Market conditions: Early stirrings. Serious buyers start searching online. Inventory is still low. Average days on market: 55-70 days Price premium vs. annual average: -1% to -3% Buyer pool: Growing, but still below average.

The insider move: List in late February to appear in March searches. Buyers who start searching in February often don't make offers until March-April. Being on market when they're ready gives you an advantage.

March

Market conditions: The market wakes up. Listings start hitting MLS. Buyer activity increases noticeably. Average days on market: 40-55 days Price premium vs. annual average: +1% to +3% Buyer pool: Expanding rapidly. Families start searching for summer moves.

Sell in March if:

You want to beat the spring rush of competing listings
Your home shows well without peak landscaping
You want motivated buyers before they have too many options

April

Market conditions: Strong and gaining momentum. Tax refunds hit bank accounts. Weather improves, showings increase. Average days on market: 35-50 days Price premium vs. annual average: +3% to +5% Buyer pool: Large and active. Open houses are busy.

Key data point: According to ATTOM Data Solutions, homes listed in April historically sell for an average of $20,000+ more than homes listed in October-January (adjusted for home type and market).

May

Market conditions: Peak season begins. This is statistically one of the two best months to sell nationwide. Average days on market: 30-45 days Price premium vs. annual average: +5% to +7% Buyer pool: At or near peak. Families are motivated to close before the school year.

Sell in May if:

You want maximum price
Your home has strong curb appeal (gardens blooming, green lawn)
You can handle high showing volume

The data: Zillow research consistently finds that homes listed in the first two weeks of May sell for approximately 1% more than homes listed at any other time — and up to $5,000-$10,000 more than the average listing. On a $500,000 home, that's real money.

June

Market conditions: Still strong but competition among sellers increases. More inventory hits the market. Average days on market: 30-45 days Price premium vs. annual average: +4% to +6% Buyer pool: Large but starting to get fatigued. Some buyers who started in March are burned out or have already purchased.

Watch for: If your home doesn't sell in the first 2-3 weeks of a June listing, you may need a price adjustment sooner than you'd like. The market moves fast in June — don't let your listing go stale.

July

Market conditions: The summer plateau. Activity is solid but buyers and sellers are distracted by vacations. Showings drop on holiday weekends. Average days on market: 35-50 days Price premium vs. annual average: +2% to +4% Buyer pool: Moderate. Families with school-age children are feeling urgency to close before August.

Sell in July if:

You missed the spring window but still want solid demand
Your home has summer appeal (pool, outdoor living, AC)

August

Market conditions: The back-to-school slowdown begins. Families who haven't bought yet often pause until after school starts. Average days on market: 40-55 days Price premium vs. annual average: +1% to +3% Buyer pool: Shrinking. Urgency is fading.

Strategy: If you're listing in August, price aggressively. You're competing for a smaller pool of buyers, and overpriced August listings tend to linger into fall — the worst outcome.

September

Market conditions: A brief second wind. After Labor Day, buyers who took the summer off re-engage. It's a mini-spring. Average days on market: 40-55 days Price premium vs. annual average: 0% to +2% Buyer pool: Moderate. A mix of first-time buyers, relocations, and people who missed the spring market.

Sell in September if:

You missed spring and summer but want decent demand before winter
You're in a warm-weather market where fall is essentially extended summer

October

Market conditions: Slowing noticeably. Daylight savings ends, shorter days mean fewer evening showings. Photography becomes harder. Average days on market: 50-65 days Price premium vs. annual average: -1% to -3% Buyer pool: Smaller and more bargain-conscious.

If you must sell in October: Stage your home for fall (warm lighting, seasonal decor, show how cozy the home is). Photography matters more than ever — you need to overcome the drabber outdoor conditions.

November

Market conditions: Slow. Thanksgiving week is essentially a dead zone. Buyers are focused on holidays, not house hunting. Average days on market: 55-75 days Price premium vs. annual average: -3% to -5% Buyer pool: Small and price-sensitive.

Silver lining: Low inventory means less competition. If a buyer is looking in November, they're serious.

December

Market conditions: The slowest month. Holiday distractions, cold weather, and the desire to "wait until spring" keep most buyers and sellers on the sidelines. Average days on market: 60-80 days Price premium vs. annual average: -3% to -6% Buyer pool: Very small but extremely motivated.

The contrarian play: Some agents advise listing between Christmas and New Year's. Why? Almost no competition, and the buyers who are looking have strong motivation (year-end tax benefits, January relocations, expired leases). I've seen well-priced December listings sell within a week to highly motivated buyers.

The Best Day of the Week to List

This might surprise you: Thursday is the optimal listing day.

Here's why:

Listing Thursday gets your home into weekend showing schedules
Buyers browse new listings Friday evening and plan Saturday/Sunday tours
Monday-Wednesday listings lose the "new listing" boost before the weekend

According to Redfin data, homes listed on Thursday sell for approximately $3,000 more on average than homes listed on other days. Zillow's research supports Thursday/Friday listings as optimal.

Avoid: Listing on Friday afternoon (too late for weekend planning), Saturday (you miss the anticipation build), or Monday (full week before showings peak).

Local Market Timing: Why National Data Isn't Enough

National averages are useful, but your local market may behave very differently.

Warm-Weather Markets (Florida, Arizona, Texas, Southern California)

Peak season: January-April (snowbirds + pre-summer heat)
Slowest: July-August (too hot for comfortable showings)
Strategy: List by February to catch relocating buyers and seasonal demand

College Towns

Peak season: April-July (families buying before fall semester)
Slowest: September-November (everyone's settled)
Strategy: Time your listing to catch incoming faculty and families

Resort/Vacation Markets

Peak season: Varies by resort type — ski areas peak in fall (pre-season buyers), beach communities in spring
Strategy: List when vacation traffic brings potential buyers to the area

Urban Markets (NYC, Chicago, San Francisco)

Peak season: March-June (similar to national, but more compressed)
Slowest: July-August (everyone leaves the city)
Strategy: Urban markets are less seasonal overall — lifestyle buyers shop year-round

Military Markets (near bases)

Peak season: May-August (PCS season — Permanent Change of Station)
Strategy: List by April to catch incoming military families with housing allowances and tight timelines

When Life Events Should Override Market Timing

Here's what I tell every seller who asks about timing: life events trump market timing. Every time.

The difference between the best month and the worst month is typically 5-10% in price premium. On a $400,000 home, that's $20,000-$40,000. That's significant — but it shouldn't control major life decisions.

Sell Now Regardless of Timing When:

Divorce or separation. Dragging out a sale to "wait for spring" while paying for two households (and the emotional cost) rarely makes financial sense. Sell, split, and move forward.

Job relocation. If your employer is offering relocation assistance or a relo package, take it. The cost of maintaining two homes while waiting for optimal timing usually exceeds any price premium.

Financial distress. If you're facing foreclosure, can't make payments, or are drowning in carrying costs, sell now. Every month you wait adds to your losses.

Estate sale. Carrying costs on an inherited property (insurance, taxes, maintenance, utilities) add up fast — typically $1,500-$3,000/month. A 3-month wait for spring costs $4,500-$9,000 in carrying costs, often negating any price premium.

Growing family. If you're in a two-bedroom and baby number three is on the way, the stress of being in a too-small home for six months while "waiting for the right time" isn't worth the potential price premium.

When Waiting Makes Sense:

You can easily afford to hold. If carrying costs are manageable and you have flexibility, timing the market can add meaningful value.

Major improvement just completed. If you just renovated the kitchen, wait for spring to showcase it when buyer demand is highest.

Pending neighborhood development. New school, commercial development, or transit stop coming? The announcement alone may boost values — waiting for completion could add more.

Seasonal property. Selling a home with a gorgeous pool or garden? Wait for the season when those features shine.

The Timing Decision Framework

Step 1: Assess Urgency (Score 1-10)

1 = No rush, just exploring
5 = Would like to sell within 6 months
10 = Need to sell immediately

Step 2: Calculate Carrying Costs

Monthly costs of keeping the home:

Mortgage payment: $______
Property taxes: $______
Insurance: $______
HOA: $______
Utilities: $______
Maintenance: $______
Total monthly cost: $______

Step 3: Estimate Timing Premium

Current month's premium/discount: _____%
Optimal month's premium: _____%
Difference: % × Home value = $_

Step 4: Compare

Cost of waiting (monthly carrying costs × months until optimal timing) vs. Benefit of waiting (timing premium difference).

Example:

Monthly carrying costs: $3,200
Current month: November (-4% premium = -$16,000 on $400K home)
Optimal month: May (+6% premium = +$24,000)
Wait time: 6 months
Cost of waiting: $3,200 × 6 = $19,200
Benefit of waiting: $24,000 - (-$16,000) = $40,000 potential premium swing
Net benefit of waiting: $40,000 - $19,200 = $20,800

In this case, waiting makes financial sense — if you can afford six months of carrying costs and nothing changes in the market.

Pre-Listing Timeline: Work Backward From Your Target Date

If you've decided when to list, here's how to prepare:

8-12 Weeks Before Listing

Interview 3 listing agents and choose one
Get a pre-listing home inspection ($300-$500) — find and fix problems before buyers do
Start decluttering — one room per weekend
Get repair estimates for any issues

6-8 Weeks Before Listing

Complete necessary repairs
Deep clean the entire home
Begin any cosmetic updates (paint, hardware, fixtures)
Consult with your agent on staging

4-6 Weeks Before Listing

Professional staging (or self-staging with agent guidance)
Landscaping refresh (mulch, mow, plant seasonal color)
Professional photography and videography scheduled
Review comparable sales and finalize pricing strategy

2-4 Weeks Before Listing

Professional photos taken
Listing description written and approved
"Coming soon" marketing begins (social media, agent network)
Pre-listing showings for select buyer agents

Listing Week

Go live on MLS (Thursday)
Social media push
Open house scheduled for first weekend
Showing instructions finalized with your agent

The Bottom Line

The best time to sell is when the math works and your life situation supports it. Spring is the strongest season for most markets, with May historically offering the highest price premiums. But a well-priced, well-staged home can sell successfully in any month.

Don't let market timing become an excuse for indecision. The best-timed listing in the world won't save an overpriced home, and a January listing at the right price will outsell an overpriced May listing every time.

Price it right. Prepare it well. Time it smart — but don't let timing become the enemy of progress.

Ready to time your sale for maximum value? Get a free market analysis from HonestCasa and we'll show you exactly what your home is worth — and when to list it.

Best Time To Sell House

Key Takeaways