When is the Best Time of Year to Put Your Home on the Market?

One consistent question heard by Realtors across the country is when should I list my property?

Of course, the answer depends in what part of the country your home is located. For example, Florida's high selling months are probably different than the best time to sell in Missouri. One thing to always remember is that real estate data is local.

In the Tri-Lakes area of Missouri, analysis of the sale of properties for the past five years revealed that the months with the highest amount of closed transactions were May through August. The two months with the most sales were June and August, followed by May, then July. The month that was often ranked the second highest sales month was July.

It will probably come as no surprise that January and February had the least amount of closings. January has typically been the time that most Realtors schedule a vacation, at least in our area.

Keep in mind that the months listed were for closings, not the date the properties went under contract. It usually takes around thirty days to close a transaction; but, it can be longer, depending on the circumstances of the sale. Therefore, if you want to sell your home; don't wait until May to list it. March would be a better time to catch the first wave of springtime buyers.

On the flip side, the slowest time as far as showings and properties going under contract isn't January and February, it's November and December. Again, you have to account for the time between when the buyer and seller come to a written agreement and the time that the property actually changes hands.

There's no "magic" time to put your property on the market. It often comes down to chance, the right buyer happens along at the right time. However, those chances do improve when the most buyers are looking, which is March through August.