If you are planning to sell your home this year, the calendar has a recommendation: list between April 12 and April 18 [1].

Realtor.com's annual Best Time to Sell report identifies that week as the optimal listing window for 2026. Homes listed during the period historically sell for up to $5,300 more than the average week, attract 16.7% more buyer views online, and close about nine days faster than listings posted outside the window [2].

The mechanics are seasonal. Spring brings more buyers to the market -- families who want to move before the next school year, purchasers who waited out winter, and the annual migration of people who decide in March that they are done with their current house [1]. The supply side has not caught up. The Northeast and Midwest remain undersupplied, meaning well-priced, move-in-ready homes in those regions may not need the timing advantage to sell quickly [3].

The report's methodology tracks years of listing data, cross-referencing sale prices, time on market, and buyer engagement metrics to identify the single week that maximises all three [2]. It is not a guarantee. A poorly priced home will not sell because the calendar says it should. But a correctly priced home listed during the right week has a structural advantage.

April 12 is a Sunday. Listings typically go live on Thursdays. The practical deadline for sellers is April 9.

-- MAYA CALLOWAY, New York