When Is the Best Time to Sell a House in Washington, D.C.?

If you're thinking of selling your Washington, D.C. home in 2020, here are the best (and worst) times of year to do it, by the numbers.

When selling a home in Washington, D.C., timing isn't everything; however, it can certainly influence how long it takes and the price you're ultimately able to get.

If you have some flexibility with your sale, it's worth doing some market research to boost your chances of getting the best outcome possible.

In terms of price, the best month to sell a house in Washington, D.C. is December. The median sale price for Washington, D.C. homes in December is $635,000, which is $47,917 more than the annual average.

The best month to sell a house fast in Washington, D.C. is June. Washington, D.C. homes sold in June are on the market for an average of 20, which is 10 days faster than the annual average.

Of course, this is just a small piece of the overall picture. Below, we've compiled some of the most important data to consider before deciding when to sell your Washington, D.C. home, including monthly inventory, sale prices, sale-to-list ratios, days on market, and more.

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• The best time of year to sell a house in Washington, D.C.
• Washington, D.C. real estate market trends
• Median sale price by month
• Median sale-to-list ratio by month
• Median days on market (DOM) by month
• When should you sell your Washington, D.C. home?
• Top ways to sell your house in Washington, D.C.

The best time of year to sell a house in Washington, D.C.

Determining the "right" time to sell your house is somewhat subjective, as it really depends on your specific goals and circumstances. That said, if you're like most sellers — i.e., your top priorities are selling high and fast — here's when you should list your Washington, D.C. house.

_{Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan-Dec 2019}

_{*Negative values indicate when a month is best for one priority (speed or price) but below the annual average for the other}

For the purposes of this article, we define:

• Sale price premium as the difference between the median sale price in a given month and the annual average median sale price in Washington, D.C.
• Days sold faster than average as the difference (in days) between the median days on market (DOM) for listings in a given month and the annual average DOM in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. real estate market trends

Zooming back out to the national level, housing market activity — that is, the number of active listings and sales — is cyclical, peaking in late spring and hitting its annual low towards the end of the year.

Active listings and volume of home sales since 2016

_{Source: Realtor.com, Jul 2016-Feb 2020}

As you can see above, the overall volume of pending sales — which is a good gauge of buyer demand — reliably spikes in May. So is listing in late spring always going to be the best move? Not necessarily.

That corresponding spike in inventory (number of active listings) also means more competition. Depending on factors like your property's age, condition, location, etc., this could actually make it more difficult and/or expensive to sell.

Moreover, these trends vary considerably on state, regional, and local levels. To provide a more comprehensive picture of seasonal housing market trends in Washington, D.C., we've compiled some of the most important data points below, along with some simple definitions and advice.

Median sale price in Washington, D.C. by month

_{Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019}

Median sale prices can help you understand when home sale prices for Washington, D.C. homes are typically at their annual high and low. When you zoom out and look at median sale prices over the course of a larger span of time — say, several years — it can also indicate broader trends, like home value appreciation and increasing buyer demand. The graph below shows median sale price trends in Washington, D.C. during 2019.

_{Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019}

Median sale-to-list ratio by in Washington, D.C. month

_{Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019}

>> MORE: Strike quick on a hot market with a faster way to sell your home for top dollar.

Sale-to-list ratio is a home's final sale price divided by its list price, typically expressed as a percentage. If the number is above

100%, that means the home sold for more than its initial list price. Conversely, numbers below 100% mean the home sold for less than asking price.

When you look at the median sale-to-list ratio across a given market, it helps illustrate the degree of competition or demand among buyers in that area. This can tell you a lot about current market conditions — i.e., whether it's a buyers or sellers market — and give you a sense of how much leverage you'll have when it comes to offers and negotiations.

_{Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019}

Median days on market (DOM) in Washington, D.C. by month

_{Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019}

Days on market — or DOM — is commonly defined as the number of days from when a property is officially listed on a multiple listing service (MLS) and a sales contract is signed.

When a market has a low median DOM, that's usually an indicator of favorable conditions for sellers, i.e., a high demand among buyers. Conversely, a higher median DOM signifies low demand, meaning less favorable conditions for sellers. Remember, seasonality can be a big factor, particularly in regions with bigger weather swings throughout the year. Moreover, demand can vary considerably from neighborhood to neighborhood. Talk to your realtor for an accurate read on current — or seasonal — market conditions in your area, specifically.

_{Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019}

When should you sell your Washington, D.C. home?

Sometimes life changes — expected or not — can require selling during a slower month or time of year. That's ok! The most important factor in deciding when to sell your house is you. Consider your own needs, financial situation, and timeline above everything else.

If your reason for selling is relatively flexible — say, you're looking for a bigger house or more convenient neighborhood — it might be worth trying to time your sale; however, waiting for peak market conditions isn't worth missing, say, a great job opportunity or putting off an important life goal, like retirement.

Top ways to sell your house in Washington, D.C.

• Low-commission real estate agents
• Discount real estate agents
• Flat-fee MLS services
• We Buy Houses for Cash in Washington, D.C.

Additional resources for Washington, D.C. home sellers

• Average time to sell a house in Washington, D.C.
• Average cost to sell a house in Washington, D.C.
• How to sell a house by owner in Washington, D.C.
• How much are closing costs for home sellers

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