Zillow, Realtor.com uncover best time to sell home, earn more

Spring is here, which means we have officially entered home-buying season. During my career reporting on the housing market, I’ve found that this is about the time sellers start learning everything they can to get the most money possible from their sale.

This includes finding the best time of year to sell your house. Not just the best season or month — but down to the best week.

Real estate technology companies Zillow and Realtor.com have each released their 2026 reports on the best time to sell a home and maximize profits. And according to the latest Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, receiving the best price possible was the main motivator for 58% of sellers.

Nationally, Zillow data found that the last two weeks of May were the most lucrative time for people to list their homes. On the other hand, Realtor.com found that the week of April 12-18 was the best time to sell.

The exact weeks differ between the two companies, but they share an important consideration: Although spring and summer are considered the prime home-buying season, spring may be the better time this year.

Sometimes, sellers have to cut their listing prices. But the Realtor.com report noted that there are typically fewer price cuts in spring, because buyers are flocking to the housing market to kick off the home-buying season and beat the rush that often accompanies the summer months, when kids are out of school and families have more time for house hunting.

Zillow says sellers could earn $6,000 more

According to Zillow, those selling a typical home in the U.S. could earn around $6,000 more when they list in the last two weeks of May, an increase of 1.7%. The company based this number on its 2025 Best Time to List analysis, which looked at the 35 largest metro areas in the country.

Realtor.com put the potential profits just a little lower: $5,300 more when selling the week of April 12-18, compared to the average week. This is the equivalent of a 1.3% increase.

Related: Fannie Mae predicts shifts in mortgage rates, housing market

To determine the best week to sell a home, Realtor.com studied seasonal housing trends from 2018-2024. It removed 2020 from its analysis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said it evaluated “competition from other sellers, listing prices, days on the market, the likelihood of price reductions, and homebuyer demand” when conducting its research. It did not include interest rates, because mortgage rates follow economic and political issues, not seasonal trends.

The best time varies by local real estate market

It’s crucial to note that the recommended weeks by Zillow and Realtor.com apply to the national level. Both companies’ reports drive home that the best time (with the highest potential earnings) depend on your local real estate market.

For example, Zillow found that the last two weeks in May were indeed most profitable in metro areas such as Chicago, Miami, and Philadelphia. However, New York and Atlanta saw more earnings during the first two weeks of May. The last two weeks of April were better for Houston and San Antonio.

There were even a few outliers, with peak times of early February in San Jose, late March in Austin, and the end of June for Baltimore.

More on real estate and the housing market:

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Zillow also determined that you could earn more or less than the 1.7% ($6,000) markup during the peak season, depending on where you live. For instance, Boston sellers earned 3.4% more ($25,300) on average in 2025, and those in Seattle brought in 2.9% more ($22,600).

Realtor.com noted that home sellers should look into their local market’s prime season and plan accordingly, if possible.

Realtor.com reveals peak selling seasons by region

So, how do home sellers know when the most profitable time is in their region? Realtor.com has some insights.

With some exceptions, the best time in the South and West aligns with the best week nationwide (mid-April, according to Realtor.com).”In some markets, including in-demand coastal areas and tech hubs like San Jose, CA, and Seattle, the spring selling season is already in full swing, as buyers compete for a limited selection of for-sale homes,” said the report.Realtor.com said mid-April is usually best in the Midwest region, where home prices are a bit lower and inventory is more limited.The Sun Belt is a bit trickier to pin down. Cities such as Austin and Phoenix have a lot of inventory and are more of a buyer’s market than other parts of the U.S.
Source: Realtor.com

Related: Redfin reveals why now is the right time to refinance a mortgage

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