Why Spring Is the Best Time to Sell

March Madness is something that exists in NCAA basketball, but it apparently also exists in real estate.

Timing is important when it comes to knowing what time of the year is the best time to sell your home. Selling it too early or too late into the year can cause issues such as less curb appeal, particularly in regions with dry autumn or cold winter seasons, or potentially selling your home for less than what it’s worth. While it is possible to sell your home throughout all parts of the year, experts agree that the ideal time to sell your home is right now.

According to Team Edge Properties,

“the combination of nice weather, improved curb appeal from spring flowers, the tax refund check all psychologically combine to make spring the perfect time to sell your home.”

While home sales usually peak in June, the start of summer, March and April are the months where potential homebuyers are more likely to start looking for their next home.

Catherine Sherman from Zillow.com states that,

“mid-March to mid-April" is the best time to sell, though advises to “[follow] weather patterns.”

Spring can still bring snow, and that is especially true this year, when much of the east coast just got hit with a mid-March blizzard. Sherman says,

“In markets with warm climates like Miami, the magic window is now [in March]. But in places with harsh winters like Boston, waiting until mid- to late April is your best bet.”

Along with the aforementioned warmer weather and better curb appeal, there are other reasons for why spring is the best time to sell your home.

One reason is that you’re more likely to get a better valuation on your home, and therefore higher sale prices. Craig Donofrio from Realtor.com writes,

“Prices are highest in the prime season, when the most homes are listed… it’s a function of demand being very seasonal, driven by weather and school year.”

Additionally, when appraisers look at comparable data of homes that were sold in your neighborhood, having data of prices from the prime selling season means that you’re more than likely will have a higher valuation on your home.  Donofrio adds, “The more data the better—and the prime season is when the data is most robust.”

Spring also brings more bidding wars and getting multiple offers on your home and for the first time since the crash we are seeing that in this region. Donofrio says,

“Bidding wars are a headache for buyers but a big plus for sellers… Bidding wars mean more money in your pocket.”

With buying and selling competition surging in spring, you are also more likely to find buyers who are serious about finding their new home. Sherman writes,

“How do you know if a buyer is serious? One way is to see if they’ve contacted a real estate agent or mortgage broker, signaling they’re ready to take the next step in the home buying process. Data shows agent and lender contacts build in early April, so this is a good time to put your home on the market if you want to attract serious buyers.”

If they’re getting advice from an expert, chances are they’re taking serious steps to make sure they find the right home to fit their needs.

While spring is the ideal time to sell, it’s also important to know when the best days of the week to put your house up for sale. Because of sites like Zillow or Trulia, potential buyers can learn about new listing in their area with just a quick refresh, while other listings can get lost in the clutter. Diana Olick from CNBC writes,

“Homes listed on Thursdays are more likely to sell faster, above list price and for more money on average than comparable homes listed on other days of the week. This is because potential buyers are getting ready to go shopping over the weekend.”

In conclusion, while March and April are the best time to sell, you should also consider when it truly starts to feel like spring in your area. If you’re hoping to sell your home soon, wait until some of the mid-March snow melts and it starts to warm up again. If you can, wait until the end of the week, such as Thursday or Friday, to list your home.

Work Cited

Donofrio, Craig. “Spring Is the Time of Season for Selling A Home… Or Is It?” Realtor.com.  24 March 2015. http://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/is-spring-best-time-to-sell-a-house.  Accessed 12 March 2017.

Olick, Diana. “The best month – and day – to list your home. “ CNBC.com. 22 March 2016.                 http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/22/the-best-month-and-dayto-list-your-home.html. Accessed 12 March 2017.

Sherman, Catherine. “When Is the Best Time to List Your Home?” Zillow.com. 2 March 2015.                 https://www.zillow.com/blog/best-time-to-list-home-170825.  Accessed 12 March 2017.

“When Is the Best Time to Buy and Sell Real Estate in Maryland?” The Team Edge Properties.                 http://www.theteamedge.com/buying-homes/best-times-year-buy-sell-home. Accessed 12 March 2017.