Spring Peaks and Winter Slumps

National Real Estate Trends Across the Seasons

a summary by Sara Wines based on Chapter 5 of Selling Your House by E. Tyson and R. Brown (2018) 

February 11, 2025 

Spring: The Peak Selling Season (March 1-Memorial Day)

As temperatures rise, so does real estate activity. Warmer weather, tax refunds, and longer daylight hours motivate buyers to start their home search so they can be moved in before summer. Marketing efforts ramp up with fresh listings and increased advertising.  This is a great time to put a house on the market! It is also a great time to be a buyer with new listings coming forward, but you will want to have a game plan with your agent long before you see a listing you want. If you wait until you see the house listed for sale in this market, it may be too late.

Summer: A Drop in the Market (Memorial Day-Labor Day)

As summer vacations take over, the market usually slows down somewhat. Most people prefer to be laying out in the sun instead of looking for homes or listing their own. Hopes of purchasing a home before school starts starts to become unrealistic, so buyers aren't as active. Despite this, if you are buying, it is possible to find a deal on properties that didn't do well during the spring peak season. 

Fall: The Second Peak (Labor Day-Thanksgiving)

As temperatures cool, the market begins to shift. Buyers still in the market are often more serious now--especially those that are hoping to buy before the holidays and the end of the calendar year.  This can be a great time to put your house up for sale, but it can be risky if you wait all year for this time to sell--especially if you could have listed in the spring. As a seller, it's a great idea to have an idea of what the average days on market is for homes sold in your area. As a buyer, it's a great idea to know how long it would take to move from contract to closing with your loan to avoid getting tangled in the holidays for appraisals and closings.

Winter: Market Hibernation (Thanksgiving-March 1)

Winter tends to be the slowest season as many people start spending money on gifts, but that doesn’t mean all opportunities to buy or sell disappear. The smaller pool of buyers who are still searching now are often highly motivated, and sellers may be more willing to negotiate which could yield a great deal for a buyer. During this time of the year, careful navigation of timelines is important to ensure all travel and holidays are considered for all parties (including title companies and real estate agents who may take time off during this season). 

By recognizing these seasonal trends, buyers and sellers can look ahead and think carefully about their plan and timeline. Ignoring these trends can cost you thousands on either end, but paying attention to them and leaning into the natural ebbs and flows can work in your favor. Partnering with a real estate agent that is informed and knowledgeable about national and local trends can help you meet your goals. Start early, find a top-notch local agent, consider prep/staging or financing, and then craft a thoughtful plan to succeed this year!