FOX31 Denver

Timing is everything: Best and worst times to sell your home in Denver

Washington, USA

DENVER (KDVR) — There are several factors to consider when selling a home, especially in the current booming Colorado market, and one of them is when to list your property.

According to Zillow research, the best time to put your home on the market is in late April, nationwide. But in Denver, you may have just missed the mark as March has shown to be the most profitable time to sell.

Research showed homes sold in early March provided $30,200 more than the listed price, but April can bring in a 4% premium or about $27,000 on a typical home.

“With inventory as low as it is, home sellers can expect a quick sale pretty much year-round,” Zillow economist Nicole Bachaud said. “Even as frantic buyers are snapping up homes days after they hit the market and often bidding them up above list price, there is still value to be had by listing a home during the right time of year, which is in the spring in most cases. This is a friendly market for sellers, but those who are simultaneously buying need a firm grasp on the right tools and strategies to win their next home.”

Now that the best time has been revealed, you’re probably wondering what the worst time is. If you’re planning to list later in the year, avoid October and November. Research showed homes could sell for $36,700 less than the asking price, which is a 5.7% discount.

If you’re listing online, the number of daily pageviews is 66.6% higher in early January and 20.9% lower in early August.

What timing works around other large metro areas?

Around the country in general, a Thursday in the second half of April is the best time to list a home for sale, according to millions of 2021 home sales.

Research shows the sale price can vary by as much as $21,000 depending on when you sell, compared to a difference of only $12,500 before the pandemic. 

While Denver’s market is scorching hot, other major metros are seeing a significant increase in profit on selling a home at the right time, as well. But the times are not the same in all areas: San Francisco, San Jose, Portland and Austin share the second half of February as the best time to list, while Los Angeles’ was December last year. Nationwide though, the best bet is April and May.

No matter when homes are going on the market, they’re getting snatched up at a much quicker rate than before the pandemic. The fastest sales periods in late January through April and the slowest in August were only three days last year, compared to a difference of 12 days in 2019.