When is the best time of the year to put your home up for sale?

Timing can be as important as price when it comes to selling your property

(Getty Images)

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No matter what time of year it is, most of us are virtually guaranteed to spot a “for sale” sign outside at least one property when outdoors.

Over 105,000 UK home sales are estimated to have been agreed in December (based on the first offer accepted), three per cent higher than 12 months earlier, real estate data company TwentyCi calculates.

Meanwhile property site Zoopla believes there are up to 663,000 residential properties currently on the market in Britain, up three per cent compared to the same period last year.

Improved activity will be welcomed by the housing market after a tougher period in the run-up to November’s Budget, which prompted a wait and see approach by many.

Rose Parsons, director at estate agents Hemmingfords, says “confidence is gradually returning to the market” now. She adds: “Mortgage rates have become more predictable and buyer enquiries are starting to pick up, which is encouraging for transaction levels heading into 2026.”

For those that feel ready to sell post-Budget, examining recent listing trends, buying patterns and borrowing costs can offer some insight into when could be the right time in 2026 to list a property - and for buyers, a glance at when more properties might come up for sale.

Most popular time to start selling

Expert opinions vary on when exactly is the best time to sell, and political and economic shocks can impact selling decisions.

But various research suggests the first half of the year is often a popular time to start work with an estate agent.

Hemmingfords’ Parsons says April and May are typically among the firm’s busiest months for new listings each year.

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May has also returned to being the most popular month for new listings at Zoopla for the past two years, as the below table shows.

Year	Most popular month to list
2017	May
2018	May
2019	May
2020	July
2021	March
2022	March
2023	June
2024	May
2025	May

Guy Robinson, head of residential at estate agents Strutt & Parker says: “Typically the housing market builds momentum from March, peaking in May, and then re-surging in the early autumn. The rationale has always been vendors taking advantage of leaves on the trees, the opportunity for better photography, and the goal to transact in a timely manner to fit with holidays and the academic year.”

Robinson also says homeowners should factor in how long completions can take when it comes to choosing a listing date.

He says: “Typically, a transaction takes about 30 per longer than five years ago due to delays in conveyancing, searches, due diligence, not to mention a steadying increase in average length of chain last year.

“As such, buyers and sellers have to be increasingly prepared for the market, whether that means taking photographs in the summer before launching early in the year, or allowing for delayed completions to fit with preferable timeframes.”

When does buyer demand look strong?

David Fell, lead analyst at estate agency Hamptons, says properties tend to have the best chance of selling “and in particular selling quickly”, when they are launched at similar times to buyers starting their hunt.

Hamptons has observed that typically buyers are most likely to start their search at the very start of the year, during spring half term or towards the end of the summer holidays.

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January has the highest number of potential customers registering with Hamptons, followed by July and March, the firm’s analysis of the past five years reveals.

The company adds that January is the biggest month for first-time buyers and investors to sign up, while second home purchasers are most active with registrations in July and August.

Fell adds: “Buyers can become wary of homes which have languished on the market for a little while, meaning properties launched at quieter times can be somewhat overlooked.”

The current mortgage landscape

If a homeowner is seeking reassurance that there are attractive mortgage terms to encourage buyers, now and the coming months could be considered a sensible time to start the sales process.

As at January 12 the average two and five-year fixed rates were 4.8 per cent and 4.89 per cent respectively, according to Moneyfacts.

Richard Dana, founder of mortgage broker Tembo says: “Lending conditions are significantly more favourable than a year ago. The market has been steadily picking up since the Budget, with notably higher activity over the ‘Twixmas’ period that has continued into the new year.

“Affordability has also improved, as many lenders have increased loan-to-income multiples, giving first-time buyers more flexibility to borrow more if they choose.”

Dana says with lower overall lending volumes in late 2025, many major banks are now competing aggressively on price, “a trend that is clearly working in borrowers’ favour”.

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