When is the best time to sell my house?

There are all sorts of myths about when is the best time to sell your house, but each neighbourhood and each home is different, so read on to find out when is the best time of year for you.

Paula Higgins CEO & Founder

Is there an optimum season for selling?

Spring always comes out on top as the best time of year to sell your house. This is probably because people aren’t away for the summer holidays or busy with Christmas celebrations.

Another good thing about spring is that your home will look better when the garden is coming into bloom and the sun is (hopefully) out for longer.

• Summer has never been the best time to sell a home. If you’re trying to sell to families, you should remember that they’re either going to be away or busy with children during the school holidays.  July and August tend to be slower than average months to sell (65 days on average) according to our Best Estate Agent Finder average speed of sale data.
• Autumn can be a good time to sell. If the weather’s mild your home will still look good and there are no major holidays to contend with. October is often a good time for a speedy sale (62 days on average over the past 7 years).  Make sure you’re ready to move quickly as in November and December, the number of potential buyers can slow down significantly.
• Winter can be a difficult time to sell, especially in the run up to Christmas. If you’re not going to be ready to put your home on the market before December, it’s probably worth waiting until January when people are starting to think about the year ahead. Our Best Estate Agent Finder data from the last 7 years shows January is one of the best months of the year to list your house for a speedy sale (60 days on average).

Find your best local estate agents with our Best Estate Agent Finder tool and get advice on when is best to sell in your local area

Regional differences?

Seasonal variations are fairly universal but it’s worth having a close look at your local area before entering the market. Check if the Council has granted planning permission for any work nearby, you don’t want to be trying to sell your house while there are major road works going on.

What if I’m not ready to start selling yet?

Simple, don’t sell. It’s much more important to choose a time that works for you. If you rush your home on to the market without preparing it and yourself, you could set yourself up for a fall. And if you do get a buyer, you want to be able to move as quickly as possible before they can change their mind.

Take some time first to make sure you have your home looking its best. That doesn’t necessarily mean spending thousands of pounds on huge renovation projects – just take some time fixing the little details, such as wonky gates and cracked toilet seats.  See our tips on how to make your home more valuable and sell faster.

I hear the market’s picking up, should I try and get on it as quickly as possible?

It depends. If you’re thinking of putting your house on the market at one of the traditional low points, such as Christmas or the height of summer, it’s probably worth waiting a while so you can enter it when you’re going to get the maximum amount of attention.

The longer your house is on the market, the more buyers will start to wonder what’s wrong with it.

This is all good advice, but my circumstances won’t allow me to wait…

If you need to get going with selling your home and you’re ready to do so, then you shouldn’t hold back.

• Be realistic when deciding what price to sell your house for; if there is little demand, you may have to lower your price and be prepared to do everything within your power to accommodate potential buyers
•  Choose your estate agent carefully. Read our guide on How to find the best estate agent
• Use our free Best Estate Agent Finder tool to compare the performance of local estate agents in terms of their typical success rate, how quickly they sell properties and how likely they are to achieve asking price.
• See whether online estate agents which tend to be cheaper are the best option for you
• It’s helpful to be aware of what costs to expect when selling your home
• See our step by step guide to selling for a handy checklist of the key steps involved in selling your home.
• Check what documents you need to get your house sale ready.