Real Answers : What is the best time of year to buy or sell a house?

Since many buyers prefer to move in the spring or summer, generally the market starts to heat up as early as February. Families with children are anxious to buy so they can move during summer vacation, before the new school year begins.

“To attract the largest number of potential buyers, put your house on the market in late winter or early spring,” according to “How to Sell Your House, Condo, Co-op” by Amy Sprecher Bly and Robert W. Bly, (Consumer Reports Books: Yonkers, N.Y., 1993.)

“Weather conditions are less of a consideration in California than in other parts of the country. Consequently, we tend to see the real estate market here pick up as early as February, with the strongest selling season usually lasting through May,” said Dian Hymer, author of “Buying and Selling a Home in California: A Complete Guide,” (Chronicle Books: 1994.)

The market tends to slow down in the summer, Hymer said. July is often the slowest month because a strong spring will put pressure on rates and slow down the market. Vacations and the distraction of summer activities also contribute to the slowdown. However, the market usually picks up again the fall--making it the second-best time of year to list and possibly the best time to buy.