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Don’t Buy a House in This Month of the Year

May 3, 2025

4 min Read

Written by David Nadelle

Edited by Amen Oyiboke

One person's hand holds a key and a house-shaped keychain, about to drop them into another person's hand.

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It’s hard to think of a worse time to buy a house than now. Shopping for the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make can be an infuriating experience at the best of times, but with prices and interest rates so high and inventory still low, the housing market can be a frenzy.

Unless money is no object, you should be thinking of the best time to buy your dream home. Of course, the best time is always when you’re ready, both financially and emotionally, but you would do yourself a disservice by not considering the time of year, because seasonality can affect inventory, competition and price.

“Overall, there is never a ‘perfect’ or ‘worst’ time to buy a home,” veteran Dallas Real Estate Agent Andrea Reynolds told Newsweek. “But if your timeline is more flexible, we can look at the trends we see throughout the year. Typically, spring and summer months are the busiest and most competitive times for buying a home.”

Spring Deal-Breakers

Housing season officially starts in the spring, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best time to buy. Rocket Mortgage noted that spring has its pros and cons when it comes to purchasing a home. Many argue that the increase in listings and pent-up demand after winter comes at a cost, with intense competition, bidding wars, and higher prices the result.

“Well, without a doubt, the worst time to buy a house is the spring,” Long Island Realtor Andrew Ragusa told Newsweek. “When everyone else is out buying. It’s a mad rush of properties being sold and as a buyer you are paying a lot more than you should if you’re lucky enough to get one.”

In a recent blog posting, Ramsey Solutions said, “The worst time to buy a house is typically the late spring and early summer (May through July). That’s because tons of people are in the market to buy a home — which means you’ll face more competition. Many home buyers, especially those with kiddos, want to buy a home in time to get moved and settled before the school year starts.”

June Blues

According to ATTOM, “the industry’s go-to source for premium property data,” October, followed closely by the winter months (Nov.-Jan.), is the best time to get a deal on a house. Those closing in October only get stung with a 3.3% price premium, as opposed to May, when homebuyers are experiencing a 10.5% premium.

However, others have different views on the subject, based on their real-life expertise. “If there’s a ‘worst’ time to buy a house, it’s hands down June — real estate’s version of ‘The Hunger Games,'” said Jeremy Smith real estate advisor at Engel & Völkers. “Prices are peaking, listings are flying off the market, and everyone’s out hunting for their dream home before school starts back.”

“You’ve got families racing the clock, bidding wars popping up left and right, and very little room to negotiate,” Smith added. “Blink and that house you loved … it’s already under contract. So if you’re buying in June, lace up your sneakers and be ready to move — fast.”

Deals on houses are available in every season, but understanding the benefits and drawbacks of purchasing a home at various times of the year is a necessary step in determining the ideal time to become a homeowner.

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