It's Not Too Late To List Your House for Sale During the Best Time To Make More in 2026
Spring is prime season for home sellers in most markets and listing during the last two weeks in May can be especially lucrative, according to a Zillow analysis of 2025 home sales. Homes listed during that time sold for 1.7% more, on average, earning owners about an extra $6,000 on a typical home.
Here's the key info to optimizing that home sale.
The Best Time To List Your Home Depends on Your Market
The best time to list a home depends on your local market. In San Jose, California, for example, it's the first two weeks in February. In Baltimore it's the last two weeks in June. But for 14 of the 35 metro areas Zillow looked at, May's last two weeks are the sweet spot.
Go Sunny: 9 Florida Cities Where You Can Buy a Home for $150K or Less
For You: Start Growing Your Net Worth With Smarter Tracking
Price Premium Also Depends on Location
The average premium sellers get for listing during their prime weeks ranges from 0.7% in Phoenix to 3.4% in Boston — a difference of $3,100 and $25,300, respectively. The largest average premium in terms of dollar amount goes to San Jose sellers, who gross an additional. $53,800 from their sales.
Best Cities for Listing a Home in May
Here are the 14 cities where sellers get the highest prices when they list their homes during the last two weeks in May. That's the latest prime season of any major metro besides Baltimore.
Chicago
Philadelphia
Miami
Boston
San Francisco
Detroit
Minneapolis
Tampa, Florida
St. Louis
Orlando, Florida
Portland, Oregon
Pittsburgh
Indianapolis
Cleveland
Tips for Getting Top Dollar for Your Home This Spring
Despite the seasonal uptick in U.S. housing markets, most of the U.S. is still in a buyer's market, per a recent analysis by Redfin. That means your listing is likely to have stiff competition.
Price it right. Seasonal spikes don't eliminate the need for realistic pricing.
Market aggressively. Highlight features most likely to catch buyers' attention. Your agent should know what they are, but if you're selling on your own, look at pending listings on Zillow or Realtor.com for ideas.
Get an inspection. You'll have to disclose any defects it reveals, but proof that your home is in great shape takes a major worry off buyers' minds.
Ignore myths about FHA and VA mortgages. Many sellers think government-backed loans are for poorly qualified buyers and are overly strict about the condition of the home. Neither is true. Ignoring the buyers who use these loans could eliminate a sizable chunk of the market for your home, according to Veterans United.
Final Thoughts
Late May is the best time to list a home for sale in many cities. But the market currently favors buyers in much of the U.S., so you'll still need to optimize your price and marketing to get your home sold.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion: