Spring home sellers who listed their home for sale in the second half of May maximized their home’s sale price last year. A new Zillow analysis found that homes listed in the last two weeks of May sold for 1.6% more, a $5,600 boost on a typical U.S. home. But in Metro Phoenix, the best time to list your home for sale is the second half of November.

Search activity typically peaks before Memorial Day, as shoppers get serious about house hunting before their summer vacation and the new school year in the fall. By targeting late spring, sellers can get their home listed when the most shoppers are looking. When more buyers are competing for homes, sellers can command a higher price. 

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One big caveat: It’s not certain that this year’s spring home shopping season will follow last year’s pattern. With persistently low inventory, volatile mortgage rates are creating their own seasonality in the housing market.

“In the past few years, mortgage rate fluctuations upended the traditional spring home shopping season,” said Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow. “Buyers who are on the edge of qualifying for a loan jump in and out of the market depending on what’s happening with rates. When rates fall, more buyers rush in, putting upward pressure on prices, which could happen at any time of year. ”   

Mortgage rates have been impacting affordability and sale prices since they began rising rapidly three years ago. In 2022, sellers nationwide saw the highest sale premium when they listed their home in late March, right before rates barreled past 5% and continued climbing. A year later, sellers commanded the highest prices in early June, as many buyers had sat out the prior months hoping that rates would go down. Last year marked a return to pre-pandemic seasonal norms, with the highest premiums commanded in May.

Zillow’s research finds the best time to list can vary widely by metropolitan area. It was as early as the second half of March in San Diego and Austin, and as late as the second half of November in Phoenix. An experienced real estate agent can help sellers identify the right time to list based on inventory and demand in their local market.  

Zillow also found a wide range in the sale price premiums associated with homes listed during their metro area’s peak period. San Jose sellers who listed their home for sale in the second half of March were able to pocket 5.3% more than any other time of year — an additional $93,200 on a typical Silicon Valley home. Orlando homes, however, only sold for 0.9% more during its peak period in early May. 

The reality is that most sellers don’t have the luxury of being able to wait for the right week and the right month to sell. Timing aside, sellers can still take advantage of other seller strategies to reach the most potential buyers. They can net top dollar by maximizing exposure, focusing on screen appeal and highlighting in-demand features.

  • More eyeballs = more money: Sellers should make sure their agent lists their home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) right away. This puts their listing in front of millions of home shoppers, maximizing exposure. Some agents will try to persuade sellers to market their home only to buyers using agents in their brokerage. But the data clearly shows that homes that are not on the MLS sell for a median of 1.5% less, a loss of nearly $5,000 for a typical seller. 
  • Flaunt the right features: Today’s home buyers are willing to pay as much as 3.1% more for certain backyard luxuries. Zillow research finds that a typical U.S. home equipped with an outdoor TV can sell for $10,749 more than similar homes. If sellers also happen to have a pizza oven, outdoor shower or bluestone patio, they should highlight those features in their listing description to add thousands to their sale price. 
  • Invest in screen appeal: Zillow research finds that buyers pay more for listings that have a complete, immersive online media package. Zillow Showcase listings that have high-resolution images, 3D Home® virtual tours and interactive floor plans sell for 2% more than similar homes. That’s a bonus of more than $9,000 on a typical home.
Metropolitan areaBest time to listPrice premiumDollar boost on a typical home
United StatesSecond half of May1.6 %$5,600
New York, NYFirst half of May1.4 %$9,600
Los Angeles, CAFirst half of April3.9 %$39,300
Chicago, ILSecond half of May3.0 %$10,000
Dallas, TXFirst half of April1.9 %$7,000
Houston, TXSecond half of April1.1 %$3,300
Washington, DCSecond half of April2.4 %$14,600
Philadelphia, PAFirst half of June2.2 %$8,100
Miami, FLSecond half of July2.0 %$11,500
Atlanta, GAFirst half of June1.2 %$4,700
Boston, MASecond half of May2.9 %$20,800
Phoenix, AZSecond half of November1.4 %$6,400
San Francisco, CASecond half of April3.2 %$38,600
Riverside, CASecond half of June1.5 %$8,600
Detroit, MISecond half of May3.2 %$8,000
Seattle, WASecond half of March3.1 %$24,000
Minneapolis, MNSecond half of May2.9 %$11,100
San Diego, CASecond half of March2.0 %$20,100
Tampa, FLFirst half of October1.8 %$6,900
Denver, COFirst half of May2.6 %$15,500
Baltimore, MDSecond half of June2.0 %$7,900
St. Louis, MOSecond half of May3.3 %$8,300
Orlando, FLFirst half of May0.9 %$3,700
Charlotte, NCFirst half of May1.5 %$5,700
San Antonio, TXFirst half of May1.3 %$3,500
Portland, ORFirst half of June2.0 %$10,900
Sacramento, CAFirst half of May1.7 %$9,900
Pittsburgh, PASecond half of May2.6 %$5,500
Cincinnati, OHSecond half of May2.3 %$6,900
Austin, TXSecond half of March2.3 %$10,400
Las Vegas, NVFirst half of May1.6 %$7,100
Kansas City, MOFirst half of May3.4 %$10,400
Columbus, OHFirst half of May3.4 %$11,100
Indianapolis, INFirst half of June2.0 %$5,400
Cleveland, OHSecond half of June3.7 %$8,600
San Jose, CASecond half of March5.3 %$93,200