- Those wanting to be tactical might look to sell their home earlier in the year
When selling a home, not everyone is able to wait for the perfect moment.
If your mortgage fixed term is about to end, or you are moving for a new job or addition to the family, sometimes the best time to do it is simply ‘now’.
But among sellers who do have the luxury of choice, a common question is when the best time of the year is to list a home for sale.
Property portal Rightmove has attempted to answer that question, studying millions of home sales from the past 12 years to work out when homes are most likely to sell without falling through.
The analysis looked at properties listed for sale since 2012, but excluded 2020 due to the pandemic.
According to its analysis, February and March are the best months to put a property in the market.
More than two thirds (66.3 per cent) of all homes listed for sale in February and March since 2012 have gone on to complete a sale, it said – more than any other month.
The next best months in which to list a home were found to be January and April, with 66.1 per cent of homes listed going on to sell.
Homes find a buyer one day faster in January than in April on average.
Steve Pimblett, chief data officer at Rightmove said: ‘These insights should make for encouraging reading for anyone thinking of listing their home for sale soon, as well as anyone who has already come to market this year.
‘The spring selling season is traditionally one of the busiest periods of the year for agents, and the signs of buyer activity we’ve been seeing are setting the scene for a positive one this year.’
When is it hardest to sell your house?
From May onwards, the market begins to become slightly tougher for sellers on average, according to Rightmove’s research, although May listings still have a strong success rate of 65.4 per cent.
The worst month in which to list a home was found to be December, with 61.7 per cent of homes listed during the Christmas month going on to sell.
However, those looking for a speedy sale may not want to rule it out. Sellers in December still manage to find a buyer more quickly than those listing in October and November, according to Rightmove.
Homes listed for sale in either October or November take 61 days to find a buyer, which is 10 days slower on average than in the quickest months, January and February.
| Month | Average % of homes that successfully complete a sale | Average days to find a buyer |
|---|---|---|
| January | 66.10% | 51 |
| February | 66.30% | 51 |
| March | 66.30% | 52 |
| April | 66.10% | 52 |
| May | 65.40% | 54 |
| June | 64.40% | 56 |
| July | 63.80% | 57 |
| August | 64.00% | 58 |
| September | 63.00% | 59 |
| October | 62.40% | 61 |
| November | 62.20% | 61 |
| December | 61.70% | 59 |
| Source: Rightmove |
Is 2025 a buyer’s market?
There appears to be a more positive feeling around the property market coming into this year than there was in either 2023 or 2024.
In January, the number of buyers contacting agents about homes for sale was up by 8 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to Rightmove, while the number of sales being agreed was up by 15 per cent.
However, there are also signs that it could be a tricky market for many sellers.
Zoopla recently revealed that the number of homes on the market is at a seven-year high meaning buyers may be spoilt for choice, giving them a strong bargaining hand.
While Rightmove or Zoopla’s data can give homeowners an indication of trends, seasonal tendencies and averages, it shouldn’t guide anyone’s decision making.
But for those trying to be tactical about it, it’s better focussing on what’s happening in the local area, rather than statistics looking at the country as a whole.
You may find there is a glut of homes for sale on the market in your area, none of which are selling. This could make it a bad time to sell.
Conversely, there could be more buyers than sellers in your area, or certain types of properties that are in hot demand, while others types attract no interest.
For example, flats could be hanging around on the market while four-bedroom houses sell like hot cakes.
Look for similar types of homes to your own that are going under offer, look at which agents are selling them and try to find out what they’re selling for – it could be above or below the asking price.
If something similar to your own home has just gone under offer there may be buyers who missed out, and are frustrated and ready to pounce.
Aside from knowing what is going on in the local area, creating kerb appeal will be more important than guessing which month to begin marketing.
There will always be competition from other sellers, so try and make sure your home looks the best.
Ben Hudson, managing director at Hudson Moody estate agents in York says the best chance of a successful sale comes from presenting a home at its best.
‘It may sound obvious, but clean up, de-clutter and make sure any obvious defects are put right before the photos are taken and viewers start coming round’ he says.
‘Kerb appeal is very important as when people arrive to view your property, and walk past it on the street or drive past it in a car they will form some kind of impression of your home.
‘The more attractive you can make it look on the outside, the more likely people are to want to come inside.
‘Small touches like tidying up the front garden and mowing the lawn can send out the message that your home is easy to maintain and well-kept, which will delight some buyers who might not have the time to spend on household chores.
‘The obvious things such as putting on lights to show the house well, putting the heating on, and making sure it smells fresh and clean is also important for comfortable viewings, leaving potential buyers with the right impression.’
