The week of April 14 through 20 will be the best time to sell this year, according to an annual report from Realtor.com – Prospective sellers should prepare to jump on the market.
Nationwide, sellers that list during the third week of April will see the best conditions for listing prices, buyer demand and sales pace, as well as a lower chance of price reductions and competition from other sellers.
Furthermore, a recent Realtor.com survey found that more than half of home sellers take about a month to get their home ready to list, so it’s time to start preparing.
“Spring is generally the high season for home sales, and buyers tend to be more plentiful earlier in the year,” Danielle Hale, chief economist for Realtor.com, said in a press release. “Because listing a home is a process, sellers should start preparing now so they can list their home at a time when conditions are likely to be most favorable, giving them the best chance of selling their home quickly and at a competitive price.”
Looking at specifics, homes listed during this week are historically priced 1.1% higher than average. Following seasonal trends, that could mean an additional $7,400 compared to the average week.
The week of April 14 through 20 also draws above-average buyer demand, with listings historically seeing 18.4% more views than the typical week. That amount was even higher in 2023, with listings getting 22.8% more views. That increased demand means a lower chance of seller price reductions.
Sellers are also likely to see less competition: Typically, 13.7% fewer sellers list during April 14 to 20, meaning a slimmer margin of new listings for buyers to choose from. And while prices will peak later in the year — historically, near the end of June — so will the number of sellers listing their homes.
Finally, homes listed during this week historically sell faster than homes listed other weeks, by about 9 days. That time frame could be shortened even further thanks to low inventory levels nationwide this year.
– Hannah Jones: Data, Featured Articles, Local Market Insights, Research Blog