The number one question most people ask when they’re considering selling their home is, “When should we sell?” The long-standing belief is that summer is the prime season — but what does the data actually show?
To get a clear answer, I focused on three key statistics: % of Original List Price Received, Average Days on Market, and $ Per Sq/Ft. These metrics give the most accurate picture of selling conditions.
This analysis uses a five-year sample: 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024. 2020 and 2021 were excluded because the pandemic created extreme, unrepeatable anomalies in our market.
All data is sourced from the local MLS and is deemed reliable. Figures represent single-family home only.
% of Original List Price Received (Example: Listed at $1,000,000 → Sells for $950,000 = 95%)
Best Time to Sell:
June ranked highest three times, while May and April each topped the list once. Overall, sellers receive the strongest percentage of original asking price between April and June.
Worst Time to Sell:
January and November posted the lowest results twice, with October ranking lowest once. The weakest months for preserving your original list price are October through December.
Impact on the Seller:
Across all years, homes sold in Q2 (April–June) averaged 98.5% of original list price, compared to 94.7% in Q4 (October–December) — a 3.8% difference. On a $1,000,000 home, that’s a $38,000 swing.
Days on Market (How long it takes for a home to go pending)
Best Time to Sell:
April and May posted the lowest days on market twice, with June leading once. Homes sell fastest from April through June.
Worst Time to Sell:
February had the highest days on market twice, while November, December, and January each ranked highest once. The slowest period is December through February.
Impact on the Seller:
From April–June, homes averaged 10 days on market.
From December–February, they averaged 36 days — nearly an extra month before receiving your proceeds, plus 26 additional days of carrying costs.
$ Per Sq/Ft
Best Time to Sell:
July led the category twice, with April, June, and August topping it once each. The strongest period for maximizing price per square foot is May through July (May narrowly edges out August).
Worst Time to Sell:
January and February recorded the lowest price per square foot twice, with December finishing lowest once. The weakest period is December through February.
Impact on the Seller:
Across the sample, homes sold from May–July averaged $23 more per sq/ft than those sold from December–February. On a 1,000 sq/ft home, that’s an extra $23,000.
Final Takeaway
Every seller’s situation is unique, and there will always be exceptions — but the data is remarkably consistent. Homes sold between April and July tend to sell faster and for more money than those sold between November and February.
No matter when you plan to sell, staying informed about current market conditions — and partnering with a real estate advisor who understands your priorities — is essential to maximizing your outcome.
Nathan Powers is the Director of Marketing/Business Development Engel & Völkers Bend
This article appears in Source Weekly November 27, 2025.
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