What Is the Best Month to Sell?
People love asking:
What is the best month to sell my house?
Because a month sounds like something we can control.
March.
April.
May.
Done.
Unfortunately, real estate doesn't behave that neatly.
Seasonality Can Matter
Seasonality can matter.
Buyer activity can change at different times of year.
Families may plan around school schedules.
Weather can affect how people shop.
Inventory can fluctuate.
But a seller's personal situation and the current competitive market may matter much more than the name of the month.
The Cost of Waiting
Suppose you need to relocate in November.
You could keep the house until spring because somebody told you spring is the “best time to sell.”
But what does waiting cost?
Mortgage.
Taxes.
Insurance.
Utilities.
HOA.
Landscaping.
Pool maintenance.
Risk associated with leaving the home vacant.
And the opportunity cost of tying up your equity.
If holding the house costs thousands of dollars, a theoretical seasonal advantage may disappear quickly.
Run those costs through the Seller Net Calculator so the wait has a real price tag.
The Opposite Scenario
Now take the opposite scenario.
You have no urgency.
Your home has significant equity.
You're considering selling only if the market gives you a result you like.
Maybe current inventory is unusually high in your exact neighborhood and several competing homes are already sitting.
In that case, timing may deserve more thought.
Reframe the Question
This is why:
When is the best time to sell?
should become:
When is the best time for me to sell this property?
What to Look At
Look at competing inventory.
How many homes like yours are currently available?
How long are they taking to sell?
Are prices stable, rising or softening in your particular segment?
Are buyers receiving more concessions?
Are several similar properties about to compete against you?
What would it cost you to wait?
Where are you moving?
Do you need the equity?
Is there a job timeline?
A school timeline?
A lease?
Retirement?
Another purchase?
A property does not exist separately from the owner's life.
Las Vegas Is Not One Single Market
Also remember that Las Vegas is not one single housing market.
Luxury homes may behave differently from entry-level homes.
Condos may behave differently from detached properties.
One Henderson subdivision may have very little inventory while another part of the valley has far more.
National articles saying:
May is the best month to sell
do not know your street.
Sell Now, Later, or Not at All
Lisa can look at the property, current Las Vegas Valley competition and your objectives and help you decide whether selling now, later or not at all makes more sense.
Sometimes the best advice will be:
Let's get it ready.
Sometimes:
Let's wait.
And sometimes:
If you already know you're moving, there is no reason to spend six months trying to outsmart the calendar.
The best time to sell is when your personal plan and the market opportunity line up well enough to make the move worthwhile.
When you decide to go, How to Sell a House in Las Vegas walks the whole process from “maybe” to sold.
Want to Know What the Records Say About Your Property?
Request a free Property DNA report. Property DNA can include available property, ownership/history, mortgage-related, comparable, neighborhood, school, risk, public-record and other property information depending on available sources.
Current typical turnaround is approximately 40 minutes during normal business hours, and many reports are returned within one hour or the same business day, but turnaround is not guaranteed and can vary.
Property DNA is free through Lisa. Request a free Property DNA report.
Important
Property DNA uses third-party, public-record and other available data believed reliable but not guaranteed. It is provided for informational purposes and is not an appraisal, title search, title commitment, title insurance policy, inspection, survey, legal opinion, tax opinion, environmental report or guarantee of value.
