Is it better to sell a house at the beginning or end of the year?

Nationally, the best time of year to sell a home is usually considered early May. Homes that are listed in late spring and early summer not only tend to sell faster but also at higher prices. Although June and July are the best times to sell across the country, they may not be the best times of the year to sell in your particular market. Every city is different and the best times of the year to sell can change over time.

A high-quality real estate agent can advise you on the best course of action to find a buyer and sell your home for the best price. That mentality also transfers to other areas of the market, such as Florida, where families still tend to sell in spring and summer, according to Lanham. Nationally, the best time to sell a home is March if you're trying to sell quickly, while the best time to maximize profits is July. Many of the same reasons buyers buy in the spring apply to buying a home in the summer, as well as warm weather, school holidays, and simply having more hours of sunshine to go to open houses and take tours of their homes.

But, if it's been less than a year since you bought it, waiting a few more months before selling it could significantly lower your tax bill. The Zillow Homeowners Dashboard is the quickest way to know what month is the best to put a home in your area, and it estimates the selling price of your home now compared to If you want to have as much money in your pocket as possible, working with a low-commission real estate company could save you thousands. This gives you ample time to build equity in your home, allowing you to recover your initial costs and cover your selling expenses. However, as a general rule, the longer you live in your home before you sell, the better your chances of maximizing your profits and avoiding capital gains taxes.

In answering your question, I assume that you are selling an investment property, not your personal residence. Nationally, February is the worst time to sell in terms of sales price, and January is the worst month to sell in terms of speed. If you sell your home after a year or less and make money from the sale, you may have to pay capital gains taxes on that gain. With tax refunds in your pockets, more pleasant move-in weather in the forecast, and school summer vacation for kids approaching, it's easy to see why spring is often the most popular time to buy and sell.

If you're in a higher tax bracket and expect to make a significant profit, the difference between selling your home within six months of buying and delaying the sale until after the one-year mark could be tens of thousands of dollars.