According to an analysis by Redfin and Home Economics, homes listed in the last week of April are 18% more likely to sell for more than their original asking price than the annual average, the highest chance of any week of the year.
According to an analysis by Redfin and Home Economics, homes listed in the last week of April are 18% more likely to sell for more than their original asking price than the annual average, the highest chance of any week of the year.
According to the analysis, the median home sale price for properties in late April was 4% higher than the annual average. These homes are also 17% more likely to sell within two weeks and spend about 9% fewer days on the market than average.
The timing advantage comes from reduced competition from sellers. According to the analysis, the number of homes sold at the end of April was about 8% lower than at the peak of supply reached at the end of the summer. As spring progresses, total inventory increases, giving buyers more options and increasing competition among sellers.
“Late April is a great time for home sellers. Buyers are out in droves, but the market isn’t flooded with competitors yet,” said Aziz Sundarj, housing economist and founder of data visualization consultancy Home Economics, who co-authored the report with Redfin. “By listing at this time in late April, we can generate strong early interest and competition that can lead to faster sales and better terms.”
Timings vary by region. West Coast and Texas markets tend to peak earlier. Sellers in San Jose, Seattle, and Denver are most commonly listed in late March, but San Francisco and Oakland are also within that time frame. Markets in the Northeast are open later, with Philadelphia and Milwaukee peaking in early May and West Palm Beach not peaking until mid-to-late June, according to the analysis.
The degree of seasonality also varies by market. Tampa has the least seasonal housing market in the country, followed by other large cities in Florida, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. San Francisco ranks as the most seasonal city, and researchers believe this pattern is due to lack of supply rather than weather.
“In places like San Francisco and San Jose, where there’s a lot of people looking for housing and limited inventory, timing is very important,” said Asad Khan, senior economist at Redfin. “In places like Detroit and Columbus, where we have more inventory; [Ohio,] Buyers have more flexibility, and sellers have more flexibility. ”
For buyers, timing calculations are even more hierarchical. New listings peak in late spring, but so does buyer competition. The analysis found that inventories continue to increase until mid-summer, and that large discounts due to price cuts and seller negotiations tend to peak out in early fall.
This analysis is based on housing market data from 2015-2019 and 2023-2025. Pandemic-era years were excluded. The researchers noted that the findings reflect general trends and assume a stable market. Optimal timing may change in years when unexpected market conditions occur.
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