How much you get for your house may depend on when you sell it
How much you get for your house may depend on when you sell it
If you’re thinking of selling your house, the best time to do it is just around the corner.
New data out from the real estate company Zillow says late May is the golden window. Homes sell for about $5,600 more during this time than they do on average. After years of the tumultuous post-2020 housing market, that’s a bit closer to the traditional home shopping season.
The biggest factor here is the academic calendar, according to Richard Green, who directs the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
“It’s been the same answer for a long time, which is it’s when the school year ends,” he said.
Green added that buyers shop in the spring so they can move in the summer — when the kids are on break.
But that isn’t happening everywhere. The peak selling time in San Diego arrives in late March; in Phoenix, it won’t hit until late November. There, Green said the weather is responsible.
“It’s just a pain to move when it’s snowy and icy. Whereas in San Diego and in Phoenix, you know, the weather is similar all year,” he said.
Places like Phoenix also are less influenced by the kids’ school calendars and more by the schedule of retirees, noted Zillow’s home trends expert Amanda Pendleton — “snowbirds who may be looking to settle down into a new home before the winter.”
Pendleton said she gets that selling during the seasonal surge is not always possible. “They’ve got to sell when they’ve got to sell, right? The baby’s coming. They’re starting a new job.”
And if that happens, there are other ways to boost a home’s price. She recommends flaunting the outdoor amenities, springing for the virtual 3D home tour and getting the listing in front of as many eyeballs as possible.
Stories You Might Like
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
