What Is the Best Time of Year To Sell My Home?

By Danae Aballi

Danae Aballi is a long-time real estate industry veteran. She has worked in various positions in the industry having grown from an independent real estate agent to running a team of 5 top producing agents.

As a real estate agent, one of the most common questions I get from potential home sellers is, “When is the best time of year to sell my home?” The truth is that the best time to sell is when you need to move; however, if you’re determined to try and time the market, the best time to sell is when you have the least amount of competition. In most markets, that means selling in late winter or early spring. Once spring hits, inventory increases rapidly, and you’ll have to compete with tons of other homeowners. If you truly want to hit the optimal selling window in late winter or early spring, here are three key things you need to consider:

1. Plan early. The more time you give yourself to plan out your home sale, the better. Getting your home ready for the market might involve a lot more work than you thought of beforehand, so don’t procrastinate. I recommend giving yourself a three to four months headstart before you list for things like pre-listing consultations, staging, repairs, and more. If you want to sell at the optimal time in late winter or early spring, that means you need to start these things as soon as possible.

2. Proper timing. While personal timing is important, you also need to consider what’s going on in the market. We’re no longer in the market conditions of 2020 and 2021, where homes sold in just a few days. Now, on average, it takes 60 to 90 days to sell a home. If you want to be in your new home by a certain date, you need to start early enough to avoid last-minute scrambling. Reverse-engineering your timeline ensures that you’re not caught off guard and your move happens exactly when you want it to.

3. What does the data say? In Orange County, the peak of inventory and home sales typically occurs in July and August. However, waiting until summer could mean you’re competing with more homes for sale, making it harder to stand out. Instead, consider listing your home in the spring. This allows you to take advantage of less competition while still benefiting from the market’s activity. Spring is the ideal time to attract serious buyers before the inventory surge hits.

If you want to sell this spring and get the best deal possible, your first step should be to have a pre-listing meeting. Just call or text me at (949) 216-8565, and we’ll go over your situation, your goals, the market, and more. It’s 100% free and no obligation.