You probably know it’s a seller’s market in real estate right now, and it has been for months. But it hasn’t always been that way and that raises the question – when is the best time to sell your house?
Late spring – specifically the month of May – is historically the best time to sell a house, netting the seller a 13.4% premium, according to a 2021 report by ATTOM Data Solutions.
The most profitable four months for sellers are April, May, June and July. Nearly 15 million real estate purchase transactions took place during this time period, according to ATTOM.
June barely beats July for second place, with an 11.7 percent seller premium, up slightly from July’s 11.2 percent. March and April are the traditional start of the annual homebuying season with returns of 8.6 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively. By September, seller premiums start tapering off, falling to 7.5 percent.
This is typically due to families who are in the market for a new home generally want to purchase and settle in between the start of a new school year.
While it’s true all regions of the country are different, the seasonality varies.
In the south and west portions of the country, where temperatures are more moderate, there is less discrepancy between busy and slow home buying seasons, according to the National Association of Realtors.
The difference is more pronounced in the Northeast and Midwest – and these seasonal patterns can help sellers predict what to expect as they embark on this process.
Whether you are in the market to buy or sell, it’s always a good idea to hire a local, knowledgeable, and experienced real estate agent to help guide you through the process and ensure you get the best outcome possible.