On this page
- Best Time of Year to Buy a House by Goal
- Best Time of Year to Buy a House for the Lowest Price
- Best Time to Buy a House for the Widest Choice
- The Best Month to Buy a House, Month by Month
- Which Season Gives the Best Deal
- Why Rates and Your Local Market Can Outweigh the Calendar
- How to Use the Calendar to Your Advantage
- FAQ
- Your Next Step
The best time of year to buy a house depends on your goal. For the lowest price, fall and early winter usually win: ATTOM’s 2025 analysis of sales from 2015 to 2024 found the smallest premiums over estimated market value in October (7.0%) and November (7.2%). For the widest choice of new listings, spring and early summer lead. Still, the seasonal gap is modest next to a one-year change in mortgage rates or the right house, and these are national patterns your local market may not follow.
Below, you’ll find what each season offers, a month-by-month table, and how to get ready before the window you want opens.
Best Time of Year to Buy a House by Goal
| Your goal | Best months or season | What you give up |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | October and November (ATTOM) | Fewer new listings, plus holidays and weather |
| Widest choice of new listings | April through June (Realtor.com) | More competing buyers and higher prices |
| Best overall deal | Late September through October (Realtor.com) | Some spring listings have already sold |
| Less competition | Fall, as buyer demand tapers (Realtor.com) | A thinner flow of fresh listings late in the year |
Each row draws on a named data source, cited in the sections below. However, none of them promises a lower price on a given house, because a single listing depends on its seller and its local market.
Best Time of Year to Buy a House for the Lowest Price
ATTOM, a property data company, compared the median sale price on each closing day with the median automated valuation model (AVM) value of the same homes. An AVM is a computer estimate of market value. Its November 2025 report covered more than 48 million single-family home and condo sales from 2015 to 2024.
Nationally, ATTOM’s five best months to buy were:
- October: 7.0% premium above market value
- November: 7.2%
- September: 7.5%
- August: 7.7%
- July: 7.9%
In other words, buyers paid more than the estimated value even in the cheapest months. December 24 was the single best day, at a 3.8% premium, while May 27 carried a 14.0% premium. ATTOM’s other low-premium days also fell in September, October and November.
Keep in mind that ATTOM measures the closing date. So a buyer aiming for an October closing usually signs a contract several weeks earlier.
The trade-offs of buying in fall and winter
Lower premiums come with costs:
- Fewer fresh listings. Realtor.com’s 2026 best-time-to-buy report expects the first week of October to bring more new listings than any later week of the year, so the flow thins after that.
- Holidays. Sellers, agents, inspectors and lenders may be harder to schedule in late November and December.
- Weather and daylight. In cold climates, snow can hide a roof or drainage problem, and early sunsets limit evening showings.
- Motivated sellers, sometimes. A seller who lists in winter may need to move, which can help your negotiation. That is a possibility, not a pattern you can count on.
For autumn 2026 in particular, buyers have more homes to choose from than a year ago. In its September 2026 existing-home sales report, NAR counted 1.60 million homes for sale in September 2026, a 4.8-month supply, up from 4.5 months a year earlier. NAR’s chief economist said higher inventory and longer days on market “give buyers improved negotiating power.”
Best Time to Buy a House for the Widest Choice
Spring and early summer bring the biggest wave of new listings. In Realtor.com’s 2026 best-time-to-sell report, new listings by the end of June typically reached nearly 1.4 times their level at the start of the year. After that, the total count of homes for sale keeps building through roughly November.
That choice costs money and speed. Realtor.com’s best week for sellers in 2026 was April 12–18. Historically, homes that week drew 16.7% more views per listing than a typical week and sold about 9 days faster. Listing prices also ran 6.6% above the start of the year, and late winter and spring had the year’s fewest price cuts.
Sale prices peak a little later. NAR’s median existing-home price hit a record $440,600 in June 2026, then eased to $434,100 in July and $417,500 in September. These medians are not seasonally adjusted, which is why NAR compares each month only with the same month a year earlier.
Because more buyers compete for each home, a spring buyer needs a strong, clean offer. See how to make an offer on a house for the terms that matter besides price.
The Best Month to Buy a House, Month by Month
This table pulls together what the sources show for each month. Where a month has no national ranking, the table says so.
| Month | What the data shows |
|---|---|
| January and February | Fewest homes for sale, and late winter brings the fewest price cuts (Realtor.com) |
| March | Most views per listing, as buyers return before inventory builds (Realtor.com) |
| April | Seller-favored: the best week to sell was April 12–18, 2026 (Realtor.com) |
| May | Fastest pace of 2026, a 51-day median time on market (Realtor.com); highest-premium day, May 27 (ATTOM) |
| June | Record NAR median price of $440,600 in June 2026 |
| July | 7.9% premium, the fifth-best month (ATTOM) |
| August | 7.7% premium (ATTOM) |
| September | 7.5% premium (ATTOM); Realtor.com’s best week began September 27, 2026 |
| October | Lowest monthly premium, 7.0% (ATTOM); the whole month tends to rank well (Realtor.com) |
| November | 7.2% premium (ATTOM); listings keep climbing until roughly November (Realtor.com) |
| December | Best single day, December 24, at 3.8% (ATTOM); no national monthly ranking |
So by ATTOM’s measure, the best month to buy a house for price is October. For choice of new listings, April through June lead instead.
Which Season Gives the Best Deal
Early fall is the usual middle ground. Realtor.com scores every week on six measures: listing prices, active listings, new listings, time on market, buyer views and price cuts. Using 2018–2025 data without 2020, its 2026 pick for buyers was September 27–October 3. Historically, that week had:
- 13.3% more active listings than an average week
- 30.1% less buyer demand than the peak
- 13 more days on market than the peak pace
- Listing prices about 3.5% below the seasonal high
- Price cuts on 5.7% of homes
Realtor.com estimated that a buyer could save roughly $14,000 that week, compared with the summer peak, on a home priced around $416,000. ATTOM’s cheapest months, September through November, line up with the same window.
The cheapest time to buy a house, then, runs from about late September into the holidays. By contrast, the worst time for price is late spring: the mid-April week favors sellers, and ATTOM’s highest-premium day was May 27.
Local timing can shift the window, though. In Realtor.com’s 2026 report, 42 of the 50 largest metros had a best week within a month of the national one. Miami and Tampa ran as late as November 29–December 5, while New York and Milwaukee landed in early September.
Why Rates and Your Local Market Can Outweigh the Calendar
Mortgage rates do not follow the seasons, and a one-year rate change can outweigh a seasonal discount. Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.18% on November 5, 2026, compared with 6.22% a year earlier.
Say a buyer is looking at a $417,500 home with 10% down, which means a $375,750 loan on a 30-year fixed term.
| Scenario | Rate | Loan amount | Monthly principal and interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMMS rate on October 30, 2025 | 6.17% | $375,750 | About $2,294 |
| PMMS rate on October 29, 2026 | 7.24% | $375,750 | About $2,561 |
| $14,000 lower price at 7.24% | 7.24% | $363,150 | About $2,475 |
In this example, the rate change adds about $267 a month, while the seasonal discount saves about $86. These figures cover principal and interest only. They exclude property taxes, homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance, and they are not rate quotes. For more, see how a 1% rate increase affects your buying power.
Other factors also outrank the month:
- Your local market. Ask a local real estate agent for MLS data on days on market, price cuts and new listings near you.
- Your finances. A higher credit score or a larger down payment may affect your rate more than the season does.
- Your move date. A lease ending or a new school year can matter more than a seasonal discount.
- Your rate lock. Once you are under contract, a lock holds your rate until closing. See when to lock in your mortgage.
How to Use the Calendar to Your Advantage
Start earlier than the season you want. For example, a buyer who wants an October deal should be ready by late summer.
- Get pre-approved first. A mortgage pre-approval shows sellers you can close, and it confirms your price range before the window opens.
- Set your budget. Work out how much house you can afford, including taxes and insurance, before you tour homes.
- Prepare months ahead. Credit, savings and documents take time, so review our first-time home buyer tips.
- Watch listings before you shop. Set alerts and track local days on market and price cuts for a few months, so you can spot a real discount.
- Be ready to act. When the right house appears, a strong offer matters more than the date.
FAQ
What is the best month to buy a house?
For price, October. ATTOM’s 2025 analysis found October had the lowest premium over estimated market value, 7.0%, followed by November at 7.2%. For the most new listings, April through June lead.
What is the cheapest time of year to buy a house?
Late September through November has been the cheapest stretch nationally. ATTOM’s five lowest-premium months ran from July to November, and Realtor.com’s 2026 best week for buyers began September 27. ATTOM’s single cheapest day was December 24.
When is the home buying season?
The peak home buying season runs from spring into summer. According to Realtor.com, activity typically starts in spring and peaks in summer, as many families try to move while children are out of school. Demand then tapers in the fall.
Is winter a good time to buy a house?
It can be, if you value price and less competition over choice. ATTOM’s best day was December 24, but its five best months ran July through November, so no winter month ranked nationally. Also expect fewer listings, holiday schedules and weather that can complicate showings and inspections.
Is it better to buy in spring or fall?
Fall usually favors buyers on price and competition, while spring offers more new listings. Realtor.com’s 2026 data placed the best week to sell in mid-April and the best week to buy in late September. Pick the season that matches your top priority.
Is now a good time to buy a house?
That depends more on rates, your local market and your finances than on the month, and our guide to deciding whether to buy now walks through the choice.
Your Next Step
If price matters most, plan to shop from late September through November, and get pre-approved by late summer. If choice matters most, start in early spring and expect more competition. Either way, compare your local days on market and price cuts with these national patterns before you set a timeline.
