When Is The Best Time To Buy Or Sell A Home?

Looking at the chart, December is consistently the best month to buy, while March, April and May are the best times to Sell. It's not particularly close either. Every single year in the dataset shows December as the annual low for price per square foot:

Dec 2022: ~$529

Dec 2023: ~$563

Dec 2024: ~$581

Dec 2025: ~$584

Source: CRMLS (Entire California CRMLS). Average price per sf all residential past 4 years.

November was usually the next strongest month for buyers, with price-per-square-foot levels also near the annual lows.

The spring market, especially March through May, typically showed the highest pricing, generally in the $622 to $652/SF range. That creates a seasonal swing of roughly $60 to $70 per square foot from the spring peak to the December trough, or about 10% to 11% on a price-per-square-foot basis.

That is a meaningful pattern.

Of course, price per square foot never tells the whole story. Some of the late fall and winter pricing may be influenced by inventory mix. For example, smaller homes, dated homes, or lower-tier properties may be more likely to sell during slower months, while some move-up and higher-end sellers wait for spring.

That said, the buyer advantage in November and December is real.

There is usually less competition, longer days on market, more price reductions, and more motivated sellers who do not want to carry the property through the holidays and into a new year.

The takeaway: spring may bring more inventory, but late fall and winter can create better opportunities for buyers who are ready to act.