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The ideal time to sell your home may be fast approaching.
On average, home sellers who list their properties in the week of April 13 to April 19 this year could sell for roughly $27,000 more than other times of the year, according to a recent report by Realtor.com. The site assessed seasonal trends and housing metrics — but did not factor in mortgage rates because they do not follow seasonal patterns.
“This is the right time of year to list and to get ahead,” said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.
Of course, the ideal time to sell can differ every year.
A separate report by Zillow found that homes listed in the last two weeks of May 2024 sold for 1.6% more than other times of the year, a $5,600 boost on a typical U.S. home. But, the report notes, “it’s not certain that this year’s spring home shopping season will follow last year’s pattern.”
Sellers generally get better returns if they list between March 15 and July 31, but many factors can affect the timing of the premium, according to Zillow.
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What’s more, the peak time to sell a house might depend on market conditions in your area. According to Zillow data, a San Diego home listed as early as the second half of March could sell for roughly 2% more than other times of the year, or $20,100. Meanwhile, the site found it’s better to list homes in Phoenix in the second half of November when there’s a price premium of 1.4%, or $6,400.
If you plan to sell your home in 2025, here’s what you should consider, according to experts.
What to know about this year’s spring housing market
The spring is typically when the housing market sees the most activity from buyers and sellers, experts say, as homebuyers are often looking to close a purchase before summer kicks off and well in advance of the new school year.
Sellers often want to capture the “sweet spot” of listing their home when more buyers are looking and when their property looks the most attractive, according to Amanda Pendleton, a home trends expert at Zillow.
In spring, “the flowers are starting to bloom, the grass is green,” she said. “Your home looks great.”
The same principles apply to whether you’re listing an apartment, condominium or co-op, Pendleton said. You’re still trying to showcase your property when it looks and feels the best. During the spring, the city is vibrant, which can be a “big selling point.”
“Nobody wants to look out at a bleak city full of snow,” Pendleton said. “You’re trying to still capture the nicest view possible.”
The ‘typical’ spring housing market
There hasn’t been a “typical” spring housing market in years, experts say. The pandemic put the country on lockdown in March 2020, freezing that year’s spring housing market.
Then, the market was hot with buying and selling activity for much of 2021 as low mortgage rates attracted buyers. In 2022, the spring housing market was impacted as the Fed began to hike borrowing costs in March.
Even though most buyers held back due to high prices and mortgage rates, there was a slight return-to-normal in 2023’s spring market. But then last year, the spring housing market essentially took place in the fall. At that point, the Fed had slashed interest rates for the first time in years.
It remains to be seen how the 2025 spring housing market will pan out as mortgage rates remain volatile.
“If mortgage rates cooperate,” said Pendleton, the housing market should continue to normalize from an intense seller’s market in the past years.
The 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 6.65% for the week ending March 13, flat from 6.63% the week before, according to Freddie Mac data via the Federal Reserve.
Is it possible to perfectly time your listing?
The mortgage rate lock-in effect deterred homeowners who secured low interest rates from listing their properties, because they were reluctant to finance a new property at the market’s higher rates.
But even though rates remain above 6%, more sellers are listing their homes as life events like growing households or a need to relocate come into the picture, Berner said: “Families grow, jobs change and people have to move.”
For home sellers running against the clock, whether that’s a new baby or a new job, there might be less room to perfectly time a listing, experts say.
But those with more time will be in a stronger position to come up with a plan, especially as buyers gain more power and sellers may need to be more strategic with their timing. Even if you don’t have much flexibility with when you list, “getting the price right” will help you sell your home faster, Berner recently told CNBC.
Work with experts like real estate agents or brokers in your area to come up with a strategy. Local real estate agents will have a better knowledge of the intricacies related to your area, Berner said.
