The housing market is quickly approaching the spring buying season, with the best time to sell in 2026 less than a month away.
The week of April 12-18 is expected to be the ideal time to list a home this year, as typical market seasonality and improving affordability conditions at this point in the spring typically create an opportunistic window for sellers, according to a new Realtor.com report.
The report determined the ideal selling week by looking at a number of metrics, like prices, inventory, demand, and market pace, over spring seasons from 2018 to 2025.
The uptick in demand will be in keeping with historic seasonal trends and is expected to peak in mid-April, when listings typically receive 16.7% more views than the average week and homes sell roughly 17% faster, according to the report.
This could lead to the national median listing price increasing $5,300 compared with the annual average, and $26,000 more than January. Roughly 18.9% fewer homes experience price reductions during this week compared with the annual average due to concentrated buyer activity, Realtor.com reported.
"For sellers, the mid-April window represents an opportunity to enter a market that feels more within reach for buyers while benefiting from a seasonal advantage in terms of pricing and competition," Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, in a press release Wednesday said.
But according to Zillow's best time to list analysis of 2025 home sales in the United States' 35 biggest metro areas, the optimal time to sell is in the final two weeks of May. Homes listed in late May sold for 1.7%, or about $6,000, more nationally.
"Late spring is when motivation and momentum meet," Zillow Senior Economist Kara Ng said in a press release Wednesday. "Buyers are eager to move before summer vacations and the new school year, and sellers who hit the market at that moment can benefit from heightened competition. But the best week to list ultimately depends on what is happening in your local market."
The best time to sell varies by market
Both reports generally agreed sellers performed better in the beginning of spring in high-demand technology and coastal hubs. Savvy sellers in these metros typically list early to get ahead of the surge with inventory still tight, Realtor.com said.
Sellers in San Jose who listed in the first two weeks of February earned a 3.1% sale premium, while Seattle sellers saw the best profits in the first two weeks of April, according to Zillow.
In the South and West, particularly Texas, mid- to late-April is the best time to sell, both reports found, as markets like Austin and Phoenix have seen inventory bounce back to pre-pandemic levels.
