WASHINGTON — The busy spring house hunting season is weeks away, and for sellers in the D.C. area, it might be a good idea to plan to go to market in April.
Real estate Zillow says, based on history, the best time to list a home in the Washington market is April 1 to April 15.
Sellers who list in that window can make an average $3,800 more on the sale, or a 0.9 percent premium.
Zillow said homes listed in the first two weeks of April around Washington tend to sell six days faster.
The day a seller’s listing goes live can make a difference.
In Washington, Zillow says homes listed on Thursdays get the most page views, helping get the listing in front of the biggest possible audience of house hunters.
A seller’s online presence is key, with 79 percent of potential buyers using online resources during their searches.
Zillow said when to list varies by market, but in 19 of the 35 largest metros, the best month to sell for the biggest sales premium is May.
Most homeowners don’t make a snap decision to put their homes on the market.
Sellers spend an average of seven months thinking about it, and during that time most sellers complete at least one home improvement project before listing.
“Sellers time their listings to optimize their sale in all sorts of ways,” said Skylar Olsen, Zillow’s director of Economic Research and Outreach.
“Some need to time the sale just right to manage their own synchronized home purchase. Others are seeking to get the highest sale price possible. Balancing these two common priorities suggests that an early May listing date is your best bet, but working with an agent who can weigh the local market and your unique priorities is still our lasting advice.”
