Your Guide to the Best Time to Sell Your House
There are many different reasons you could be thinking of selling a house – you could be downsizing or upsizing your family home, relocating, releasing equity or selling an inherited property.
No matter your reason for selling, you’ll want to make sure that you get the best price for your property, and that you sell as smoothly and efficiently as possible, which is why choosing the best time to sell your house is important.
When is the Best Time to Sell Your House in the UK?
Along with factors such as location, curb appeal, interest rates at the time of selling, whether it has got a lis pendens, inventory levels in your area and other factors at play, the time of the year you choose to put your house up for sale can impact how much interest it generates and ultimately how quickly it gets sold.
The best time of the year to sell your house, according to recent data from leading property sellers in the UK, is the spring, and the worst time to sell a house is December/New Year period and August. Take a look below to find the best months to sell your house in the UK.
Times of the Year to Sell Your Home: Pros and Cons
Although it’s not always the case, spring is among the best times to sell your house in the UK. However, sometimes selling your house outside of this peak season is necessary. Take a look through some of the pros and cons of selling your home or a property at different times of the year to help you make your decision.
Want to sell your house now, but it’s not prime selling season? Get a cash offer on your house today. The completion of our cash offers can often be done in as little as seven days.
What is the Best Time of Day to List my House?
The optimum time to list your house online is the morning (with a sweet spot between 9:00am – 11:00am). Although, when listing with an estate agent, you won’t necessarily get to choose the exact time your property is listed. This is why other ways of selling, such as a scheduled online auction, can be extremely beneficial. You can see our future auctions here.
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Listing your house early in the day means maximum visibility, as buyers start browsing online during their day. Many estate agents or online property selling sites send out email alerts around this time, boosting your house’s visibility.
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
This time slot captures buyers during lunch breaks, when they are likely to browse listings online. However, the downside is that many people may be in the middle of their working day and may not have a focus on house hunting.
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Buyers during this period are often more serious and engaged, actively considering buying homes, especially at weekends. However, many people may be at work on weekdays, and therefore are unlikely to enquire until the following day.
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
This time slot is a busy one for buyers winding down their workday, possibly scrolling on their commute. Again though, browsers seeing your listing at this time are more likely to wait until the following day to enquire.
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Evening hours see increased online traffic, especially as people browse after work. Listings are also able to gain traction through social media engagement from many estate agents and property sellers.
7:00 PM – Onwards
Late-evening to nighttime browsers are often in a relaxed, browsing mood, which can lead to higher engagement with your listing. They are also more likely to be with their families, to share and discuss the potential in the listing. It’s also a chance to capture those who missed earlier opportunities to view your home online.
Is Now a Good Time to Sell Your House?
If it’s currently outside of ‘peak-selling’ season, now may not be the right time to sell your house. However, when it comes to the best time for selling a home, ultimately, it is more often about choosing the right time to sell for you, than trying to rush things through to meet seasonal demand.
Plus, there are many things you can do to speed up the process of selling, or make your house more desirable to sell, regardless of the time of year. Take a look at our guide on how to sell your house fast for our expert tips on selling quickly, whatever the month. Remember, if you are looking to speed up the sale, there are many things you do not need to fix to sell your home.
We understand that it can be frustrating having to wait until a certain month of the year to increase the likelihood of your house selling. So if you are looking to sell successfully outside of these periods, an online auction could be a great option for you. Speak to our specialists or request a free house valuation today, to learn more.