Choosing the best month to sell your property can add tens of thousands of dollars to the sale price. If you can get the timing right, you can make a bigger profit and a larger capital gain than selling at other times in the year.
But what is the best time to sell your house for maximum profit? The answer is actually quite simple. It depends on things like seasonality, market cycles, and even the psychology of buyers at different times of the year.
In this guide, we explore the peak selling months in most markets and why spring and early summer tend to dominate. After that, we take a look at when NOT to sell and how market conditions can sometimes trump conventional cyclicality.
Discover the Peak Selling Months
So when are the peak selling months in the property market?
The late winter to early summer period from February to June is when most property transactions take place. The most popular months to move are May and June, with June usually being the number one choice for most people.
Why this happens is quite well known. Usually, the weather is most cordial in the May-June period in most parts of the country, making removals easier. However, as anybody who lives in the US will know, climate can vary significantly between the cold weather states in the north and the drier, warmer states in the south. Buying windows tends to be shorter in places like New England, Minnesota, Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington because these states have more challenging weather outside of peak season. Conditions are generally better in Florida, Texas, and California for the opposite reason, opening up selling to earlier in the year.
How much of a premium you can charge during this peak period depends on your location. Studies show properties can sell for as much as 10% more if you get the timing right.
Note, you may have to offer a discount of up to 5% if you try to sell your house in the back half of the year. People will sometimes purchase properties during this time, but rarely in the run-up to Christmas.
Seasonal Trends Impacting Sales
So why do spring and early summer dominate home sales?
There are several key drivers that economists and researchers have identified:
- Families moving in cycles. Families like to move in cycles around the school calendar. School resumes again in August or September in most parts of the country, so moves need to take place before this happens. Usually, this means moving in the summer months of June or July. Moving towards the end of the year is more difficult because of school curriculum and activity pressures.
- Weather advantages. As discussed, moving during the summer has weather advantages. Many people are willing to pay a premium for properties that look nice in bright sunshine.
- Higher buyer urgency and competition. There is usually higher buyer urgency and competition between February and June because of the factors we’ve already discussed. If buyers think they might lose out on purchasing a property, they may be willing to pay you a premium over the going market rate at other times of the year.
- New beginnings. Lastly, you can leverage psychological effects. Peak buying season coincides with spring when life flourishes again after a long winter break. Many people see this time of year as a chance for a fresh start.
As you can see, these rhythms are baked deeply into society and human life. Because of this, these patterns have played out as expected over the past several decades in the housing market. Most buyers are subject to them, even if they don’t think they are, with many ultimately buying during the spring if they plan to buy in winter.
Savvy sellers like you can leverage this knowledge to wait for the best time to sell. Sometimes, it’s worth delaying a sale for a couple of months to attract more buyers, increase competition, and ultimately raise the price the property sells for.
When Not To Sell
As a property owner, it’s critical to know when not to sell. Trying to sell your house during some parts of the year is more likely to result in losses on your part.
The worst times of the year to sell are:
- During the holidays (usually from November to January)
- During heat waves or especially cold spells
- During times when inventory is low
- In the mid-to-late summer slowdown as kids go back to school
The good news is that these times of year don’t last long. The holiday season comes to an end within a few weeks, and heat waves usually pass quickly. In any calendar year, it is unlikely you’ll need to wait more than a couple of months to find the perfect buyer. Therefore, avoid seasonality unless you absolutely need cash and equity from your home right now.
The only exception to this is during a severe economic downturn. When credit markets collapse and borrowing becomes difficult, buyers are no longer able to purchase homes at the regular listed price. During these episodes, you can expect the peak buying season to disappear and the market to fragment as prices crash.
Timing Your Listing Strategically (Within The Best Months)
Let’s say you are going to sell a property within the optimal window. When is the best time to make your listing public?
Usually, the best time to make a listing in February is in the first two weeks. This gives buyers an opportunity to see what you have to offer them upfront, getting ahead of the competition.
Don’t place your listings during major holiday periods or in peak season. If you do this, you risk getting buried under the other things that are happening at those times of the year. For example, don’t list your apartment or home for sale on Boxing Day or during Thanksgiving. Wait a few days and then take your chance.
If you can list your property on a Monday morning, then do so. You can also use marketing techniques, like “coming soon,” to increase interest ahead of placing your official listing.
Preparing Your Home For Peak Buying Season
Preparing your home for the peak buying season is absolutely essential. If you can capitalize on the period between February and May, you will sell your property for significantly more than you would at other times of the year.
But what do you need to do to get people to buy?
We recommend starting with curb appeal. You should do the following:
- Repaint the exterior of your home in a bright color that matches the theme
- Invite professional landscapers to pressure wash your driveway and ensure your lawn is neat and tidy
- Declutter and depersonalize your internal spaces so that they are staged for buyers
- Implement many upgrades that will have the highest return on investment during spring and summer, like automatic irrigation systems or outside taps
Critically, always ensure your home is a blank canvas for whoever is looking around it. Buyers want to be able to imagine themselves living in your property and feel like it is theirs from day one, even if they haven’t paid for it.
Because of this, hiring a storage unit out of town is worth doing. This is so you can store all of the non-essential personal belongings that are cluttering your space. It’s also a good idea to use editing software that can adjust photos of your interiors to remove personal items from the scene.
Some savvy buyers will want to check all of your home’s systems are working properly. Therefore, take time to replace any faulty light bulbs, get the boiler serviced, and make sure any home features like ovens or smart devices are working as expected.
If you have any outbuildings like sheds or garden rooms, ensure they have a power supply and running water. Buyers in 2025 are looking for fully serviced outbuildings and don’t want the hassle of hooking them up to utilities themselves.
Finally, think about the types of people who will be interested in your property, then consider how you might stage it to appeal most to them. For example, if you are selling to retirees, you may want to emphasize accessibility and renovations like bathroom wet room facilities that reduce the risk of slipping or tripping. Likewise, if you are selling to families, you will want to emphasize the quality of children’s bedrooms, space for parked cars on the driveway, and storage for kids’ sports equipment.
Benefits of Professional Photography
If you’re trying to sell your property for the maximum price during peak selling season, always use a professional photographer. Nearly 100% of today’s buyers start their search for a new property online. Therefore, the quality of the images they see forms their first impression.
Furthermore, during peak buying season, buyers have hundreds of options for properties, so you need photography that interrupts their scrolling. If your images are dull or look unprofessional, it can reduce interest.
Remember, the primary photo of your home is their first impression. Their second impression is the photo tour you give them afterwards. Therefore, dedicate 50% of your time to creating that perfect first photo, and any remaining time to the additional photos.
According to Redfin, homes with professional photos sell 32% faster. Another Redfin study found that homes that have the best photos sell for between $3,400 and $11,000 more.
In terms of exposure and vanity statistics, home listings featuring high-quality images had about two-thirds more views and received around 50% more leads per listing. Zillow data backs this up, suggesting that professional real estate photography—especially during months like May and June—increases home sales beyond those photographed with just a cell phone.
The Anatomy Of Professional Home Photography
Most professional photographers will use a DSLR or a mirrorless camera with a wide-angle lens for exterior and interior photos. Even though the iPhone 16 may have a good camera, it isn’t as good as this professional equipment.
Professional photographers will also edit photos for you. For example, they may add blue sky replacement to get rid of dull, gray, overcast scenes. They might also time their photography sessions to coincide with twilight, especially for exterior shots to make it look more appealing. HDR bracketing is also a service they might offer to provide additional color contrast and give prospective buyers a more true-to-life first impression.
Amateur Home Photography Mistakes
Homeowners often make mistakes when photographing their properties, including:
- Only listing half a dozen photos when most buyers in 2025 now expect 30-40
- Including things like clutter and pets in photos or personal items
- Shooting in dark interiors instead of using high dynamic range functionality
- Using portrait instead of landscape photography for interior photos and close-ups
- Taking photos of the exterior of properties when the weather is overcast
If you insist on shooting your own shots, don’t fall into any of these traps.
What To Look For In A Home Photographer
Finding a home photographer that meets your needs in 2025 is easier than ever. Multiple professionals operate in virtually every city across the country, so you should be able to find someone who meets your requirements.
At minimum, you’re looking for a service that offers the following:
- Up to 50 edited images per session
- Rapid turn-around, preferably in less than 24 hours
- Editing for virtual twilight and clutter removal, if you don’t have time to remove it yourself
- Optional drone shots, if necessary, to photograph hard-to-see home features
- Rights to use all of the photos produced in your online property marketing
When Is The Best Time To Sell? Now You Know
In conclusion, the best time to sell your property in the US is usually between February and June, with May and June being the most popular months.
Just make sure you hire a professional photographer to take photos of your home. Stage it correctly to increase the premium buyers are willing to pay.
Claire Wright, a savvy tech nerd and self-taught photographer who lives in Seattle and working at one of the best real estate photography companies called HD Estates.
Claire Wright, a savvy tech nerd and self-taught photographer who lives in Seattle and working at one of the best real estate photography companies called HD Estates.