When Is the Right Time to Sell Your House and List It on the Market?

Historical trends show that selling your house at the right time can land you a higher price. Selling your home at the wrong time can put you in scenarios most home sellers want to avoid, which include dealing with fewer buyers, netting a lower selling price, and your property spending far too much time on the market.

So, when is the right time to sell your house and list it on the market? We’ll cover the details in this post.

When Is the Best Time of Year To Sell Your House?

The best time to sell a house is when supply is at its lowest and demand is at its highest. Low supply means fewer homes on the market, and high demand means more people are queuing to view available properties. This picture also describes what is known as a seller’s market.

If you list your home in these conditions, it will sell quickly. In many cases, you will get offers that are beyond your asking price.

When is the right time to sell your house and list it on the market to command these higher selling prices? The months between February and April are the best.

Once people have fully awakened from the holiday festivities, the motivation that comes with entering a new year will have them browsing property listing websites to get on the property ladder within the new year. 

However, fewer sellers have prepared their homes for sale at this time. The low inventory and high-demand environment create the perfect seller’s market.

As far as the optimal timing for listing a property goes, you can’t beat this period.

Proactive sellers who take advantage of this window can net up to 35% more than their asking price.

When Is the Worst Time of the Year to Sell a House?

If you’re asking, “When is the right time to sell your house and list it on the market?” You must also know the worst time to sell your home. Generally, this is when demand in the local market is at its lowest — a buyer’s market.

One reason for a buyer’s market is that there’s too much competition from other sellers. If you don’t want to compete to sell your home, you should avoid selling in the summer. More sellers enter the market now because it’s warm and convenient.

However, demand can also fall due to other reasons. Listing in September isn’t a good idea because most potential buyers focus on the kids returning to school. The holiday season, from mid-November to January, is also generally a poor period to sell because most people are focused on the festivities, catching up with family, and other concerns.

Also, fewer people are open to house viewings in the cold weather. Savvy buyers prefer to buy during this window because sellers listing their property for sale during this window are usually desperate and can’t afford to wait.

However, if you’re a seller and can afford to wait until February or March, you’ll certainly get more offers and command a higher selling price.

When Is the Best Day of the Week to List Your Home?

According to Zillow, Thursday is the best day of the week to list your home for sale. Listing your home on this day gives it better exposure overall. Homes listed at the start of the week generally stay on the market longer.

The explanation for this is that most buyers start preparing for weekend home tours once they return home on Thursday evenings. So, properties listed around this window tend to rack up more attention quickly, which means leaving the market more quickly.

Selling Your Home During Less-Than-Ideal Seasons

Keep in mind that you can sell your home at any time of the year. The best time to sell, as we’ve covered above, only points to the period when you can expect to sell your home faster and net more than your asking price.

However, you can still successfully sell your home at other times of the year if you do the right things. Generally, you can achieve more success with selling your home by staging it with the season in mind.

Selling Your House in the Summer

The earliest days of summer are a good time to list your home if you can’t sell in the spring. Many advisories on when to list a house for sale will recommend this window because it’s a perfect window for both buyers and sellers. However, competition tends to slowly increase through this period, and by August, you’ll most likely enter a buyer’s market as demand tapers off.

You can avoid the summer lull by doing your best to list your property in the earliest months of the season. Some of the things you can do to increase your chances of a quick and favorable sale include the following.

Prepare the Yard

You have to help the buyers picture themselves basking in the summer sunshine on the property. Items like barbecues and outdoor seating can have the right psychological effect. Is the yard big enough for kids to run around? Trim the bushes and cut the grass so your prospective buyers can picture their kids playing across the landscape.

Don’t Neglect Your Landscape

Prune trees, mow the lawn, and cut bushes to give your yard a manicured look. The hot weather is also likely to dry out parts of the landscape, so pay attention to your watering schedule to ensure you don’t have any brown patches anywhere. Take the outdoors inside by strategically placing some colorful plants around the space.

Show Off Your Air Conditioning

Most potential homebuyers will appreciate not having to spend money on a new HVAC system. If you have an efficient system, turn it on in preparation for house viewings. The prospective buyers will feel more at home in the cool environment.

Selling Your House in Autumn

Selling your house in autumn means targeting a small group of buyers who want to buy a new home and settle in just in time for the holiday season.

The group is very small because children are still in school at this time. Not many parents are enthusiastic about moving homes around the start of the school year. If you’re targeting families with your sale, you’re better off pushing things to spring.

If you still want to sell in the autumn, do your best to take advantage of the season. Here are a few things you can do.

Update the Yard

If your landscape features plants that grow well into the fall, you should keep everything neat and tidy. Also, consider adding some color to the landscape with a few autumnal flowers.

Decorate With the Season in Mind

Fall décor, such as towels and pumpkins in the colors of the season, can make your home pop.

Upgrade Your Outdoor Lights

We get shorter days in the fall. Once the clocks go back, you need to ensure you have fully functional outdoor lighting fixtures in perfect shape for those late-night viewings.

Selling Your House in Winter

Does anyone even sell their house in the winter? Yes. However, winter does not have the most ideal market conditions for selling a home. Few people are willing to brave the weather or to add the hassle of making a big investment, such as buying a new home around the holiday season. So, what you’ll get are a few strategic buyers who will be out to get the best bargain possible. Remember, they believe you’re desperate to be selling at this time.

Still, it’s possible to attract some great deals during this window. Make the property attractive and comfortable to attract potential buyers and also get them to stick around long enough to check out the property.

Here are some of the things you can do to make sure.

Clear the Snow

The last thing you need is potential buyers slipping on ice when they are on your property for a viewing. Also, a yard with fully cleared paths is neater and more attractive.

Add Some Winter Décor

Holly berries and pine garlands make your winter home look more inviting. The good thing is that you don’t need to take down the décor after the holidays.

Add Some Cozy Touches

Neatly folded throw blankets, artificial candles, and area rugs can all make the space feel warmer. Potential buyers will imagine spending winter indoors inside the property.

Get Expert Guidance From Odigo Real Estate Club Today

Spring is the best time to sell your home. However, selling a home is a process with so many moving parts. The timing considerations for a property sale will vary from one person to another. The timeline may not always be in your control, and you may feel like you have to list a lot earlier to avoid missing a certain milestone.

Are you still asking, “When is the right time to sell your house and list it on the market?” Do you need guidance on the best time of the year to list your home, taking your personal situation into account? We can help.

At Odigo Real Estate Club, we have extensive experience in helping homeowners like you avoid all the potential pitfalls during the sale of a property. We excel at putting together custom timing strategies for a home sale. Schedule a free consultation to take advantage of our home-selling process.