When Is the Best Time to Sell a House in Florida?

The month you pick to list your Florida home for sale can make an astonishing difference in how much you make and how fast it sells. How astonishing? Based on historical sales data, if you list your $320,000 Tallahassee home in August, you could sell it for nearly $25,000 more than the yearly average.

This post gives you a closer look at the best time to sell, what market trends you need to know about, and insider tips to help you sell your Florida home faster and for more money.

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Florida housing trends

Florida, the Sunshine State, lives up to its moniker. Florida is a desirable place to live with 237 days of sunshine, beautiful weather, and magnificent coastlines. Because of its popularity, the coastal state has an active real estate market.

Here are some Florida sales trends that provide context to what might be the best time to sell a house in Florida:

*Median DOM from listing to signed contract. Median total time to sale from listing to close is 53 days.

When is the best time to sell a house in Florida?

The best time to sell a house in Florida partly depends on your selling objectives. There may be a better month for the best time to sell fast and a month for the best time to sell for a higher price.

What part of the state you live in is another factor impacting your home’s sale. Your neighborhood, city, and surrounding community have characteristics and trends unique to your location.

According to Florida real estate agent Josh Dotoli, selling your home will probably be a quick process whenever you decide to list. He offers insights gleaned from selling properties 53% faster than the average agent in Fort Lauderdale. “A typical home will spend about 30 days on the markets before going under contract and the average escrow period is 45-60 days.”

Florida’s real estate market is currently abuzz with activity. Thomas and Joann Jacobs, a top real estate agent team in Tallahassee explains that “the difference between the best and worst months is not that big.”

To give you a better idea, we’ve looked at actual real estate transaction data for 15 cities of different sizes and provided an overview of what might be the best times to sell your Florida home and the possible benefits. Your selling results will vary depending on what’s happening in your market and other home-selling variables.

5 large cities in Florida

5 mid-sized cities in Florida

5 smaller cities or towns in Florida

All charts based on historical home sales data, 2014-2021

Enter your city into our free online Best Time To Sell Calculator and check out the best times to sell your home in Florida.

7 Florida selling trends

One major trend you should know about in Florida is the increasing number of people deciding to call Florida home. “Folks from the North flock to Fort Lauderdale for the mild winter and sunny days after enjoying the December holidays,” Dotoli explains. “Each year, more and more seasonal renters decide they are ready to purchase and secure a residence [in Florida].”

Another major trend in Florida is the lack of inventory. Thomas says that buyers are “shocked by how quickly things are selling.”

Here is a list of six other seasonal trends that can impact home sales and real estate transaction timing in Florida:

1. The retiree rush is real, and that’s why Florida is sometimes called “God’s waiting room.” Florida is the fifth oldest state because of the number of older people who retired and call the subtropical state home.
2. Vacationers scoop up second homes after spending a mild and pleasant December down in Florida. Tallahassee is about “two hours away from a nice beach,” Joann explains. That closeness to the beach is crucial for people who are COVID fatigued and ready to connect with nature again.
3. Beaches and lovely views are also attractive for another crowd, the work-from-home crew. Thomas notes that rural homes in Florida are now viable options for remote workers because of an “emphasis on getting an internet connection to some rural areas. We can see it’s getting better.”
4. The ebb and flow of the school year matter when selling your home in Florida. “Schools are a big driver of movement in our area,” Thomas says. “Families usually move during the summer.” Dotoli agrees and notes, “May and June [the end of the school year] are also busy” months of the year for him.
5. Buying a house is an increasingly attractive option for college students. Tallahassee has two major campuses, Florida State and Florida A&M. Sometimes, students don’t want to stay in student housing and apartments close to campus have high rent. Those students may decide that buying a home is a more sound financial decision.
6. It’s hard to overstate how pleasant the weather is in Florida. Mild winters and sunny summers make it a favorite year-round destination.
7. Companies relocate at the end of the year. Although the corporate movement is somewhat constant throughout the year, “it seems like many corporations make a lot of moves at the end of the year,” Joann explains. That means a bump in demand may occur in those months.

Check out our expertly curated list of tips and tricks for selling your home in Florida.

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Insider tips to help sell your Florida home

No matter what time of year you decide to sell, or need to sell, here are some tips from our expert agents that can help you with a fast sale or get top dollar for your home.

To increase your home’s sell potential in the Florida market:

• Add a backyard fire pit and market the home’s outdoor space.
• Install hurricane glass or shutters.
• Investigate your roofing situation. If a roof has less than five years left, insurance companies often require sellers to replace it.
• Advertise your home’s walking distance to the university. The university will be the largest employer in some places, and many buyers will love commuting information.
• Even if you don’t have one now, stage a home office area or show a decluttered extra space. With an empty room, people can imagine how their home office would look.

Answers to other Florida home-selling questions

Are homes in Florida appreciating faster or slower than in other states?

A lot of people are moving to Florida. The beach, the weather, and the lifestyle drive so many people’s arrival. As a result, Florida’s “appreciation of houses here is really good,” Joann explains.

Q1 of 2022 showed strong growth, with a single-family home’s median price increasing by 21.3% to almost $397,000. Now might be the time for you to take advantage of this strong seller’s market.

The first step is to see what your home might be worth using HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator. Our free tool uses transaction data from multiple sources to create a real-time ballpark value estimate based on current market trends.

What if I need a fast sale and closing in Florida?

If you’re facing a life change that requires a fast home sale or don’t have the time or money to make needed repairs, consider requesting an all-cash offer using HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform. Simple Sale provides cash offers for homes in almost any condition in Florida. You can skip the repairs and showings and close in as few as 10 days. Complete a short questionnaire and receive a no-obligation cash offer within 48 hours.

What is the biggest mistake sellers make when selling a home in Florida?

Failing to investigate your roofing situation causes significant issues for sellers.

Another thing that sellers forget to do is properly clean and stage the home. “Buyers are frustrated with the market, and they don’t like it when they walk in the house, and the seller hasn’t done anything,” Joann comments. Just because the market is hot in Florida doesn’t mean you should forget about presentation; buyers should not feel like “they’re being taken advantage of.”

Are more people moving into or out of Florida?

Fans of Florida are flocking to the state. Florida is the fifth most popular state for people to migrate from other states.

Some of the top reasons that people move to Florida include, but are not limited to:

• Comparatively lower home prices in rural areas
• Lifestyle
• Lower cost of living
• No personal income tax

Find a top agent in Florida for a successful home sale

Florida is a rapidly growing state. As the state grows, so does the demand for housing. Beautiful beaches, warm weather, and an attractive lifestyle make Florida an increasingly enticing destination for homebuyers.

In summary, here are a few things to consider about the timing of your Florida home sale:

• Inventory is low, and demand is high
• The retiree rush is real; people love moving here and enjoying their golden years
• Warm weather, individual freedom, and affordable housing draw in many people
• Outdoor areas are popular additions for selling your home
• Sellers might want to strike while the market iron is hot in Florida
• Certain listing months can give you a better selling price or a faster sale
• Use HomeLight’s free Best Time To Sell Calculator to see your city’s optimal times

Now you know the best times to sell your Florida home. One more question you might ask is, what’s the best way to sell? Our data shows that the top 5% of real estate agents across the U.S. sell homes faster and for as much as 10% more than the average agent.

Partner with a top Florida agent using HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform. Our matching service tool analyzes over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to determine which agent is best for you based on your needs.

Header Image Source: (Aaron Burden / Unsplash)