Agents, get your sellers ready 

It seems like home sellers always find themselves asking the same question around this time of year: When is the best time to list my house for sale?

"Spring" is usually the answer, but timing a for-sale listing could make a substantial difference in a home's selling price, according to new survey from Realtor.com.

The survey was released at a time when agents expect the 2024 spring buying season to outpace the previous couple of years. Data from Realtor.com shows that for-sale inventory increased by nearly 15% year-over-year in February. Homes were also spending four fewer days on market than the year before, which speaks to the growing homebuying demand.

Get your sellers ready

So what does that mean for spring sales?

Realtor.com's latest survey found that the week of April 14-20 will be the best time for homeowners to list their homes this year. Based on last year's trends, homes listed that week could sell for an average of $7,400 more, compared to a typical week, and in 9 fewer days, the research shows. Homes listed in late winter and early spring are also less likely to see price reductions.

While sale prices tend to peak later, the number of active listings also increases. If sellers decide to wait until later in the spring or summer to list, they might fetch a slightly higher price, but competition from other sellers could make it harder to close a deal.

Danielle Hale, Realtor.com's chief economist, said home sellers should start preparing to list their homes now so that they are ready to go when "conditions are likely to be most favorable, giving them the best chance of selling their home quickly and at a competitive price."

Mortgage rates, which have played an outsized role in the direction of the market over the past two years, will continue to influence buyer and seller activity, the Realtor.com report noted. If rates decline to the mid-6% range, more buyers may come off the sidelines, which would be good news for sellers no matter what time of year it is.

Not everyone is sold on April sales

The Realtor.com findings seem to contradict a similar survey conducted by Zillow in early March. Zillow found that homes sold in the first two weeks of June fetched 2.3% more than the national average home sales price due to a dip in mortgage rates around that time – something they expect could happen again this year.

Zillow's findings varied at the local level with February being the best month for home sellers in San Francisco while July was the best month in New York and Philadelphia, according to the survey.

"The old logic was that sellers could earn a premium by listing in late spring, when search activity hit its peak. Now, with persistently low inventory, mortgage rate fluctuations make their own seasonality," the Zillow survey concluded.