Timing is everything when it comes to selling a house. Springtime has always been a popular time to sell houses, but do you know what time and day online home searches are most prevalent? As real estate agents, knowing when potential home buyers are searching for homes will help us plan our marketing to get the most eyes on our listings.
Recently I listened to The Real Word podcast and learned about the most popular times people are looking for houses online. Tuesday nights at 8 pm is the most popular time to search for homes for sale, according to data from Jan. and Feb. 2022. Monday came in second, followed by Thursday, both days reflecting robust home searches between 6-8 pm.
As you market a house for sale, take advantage of popular online viewing times on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. The Real Word had a great take on marketing your listing based on the popularity of Tuesday night's home search as outlined here:
- Monday: post "Coming Soon" listing
- Tuesday: "Coming Soon" listing in place for 8 pm viewers
- Wednesday or Thursday: list house for sale on the MLS
- Saturday: open house
- Sunday: open house
Modify the example schedule based on the number of days your MLS allows "coming soon" listings to be displayed. Marketing the new listing on Monday and Tuesday will compliment the "coming soon" announcement and capture the Tuesday night viewing crowd. On the same days, focus on a solid social media schedule to get the word out about the property. An image of the front of the house, a video about the house and neighborhood, and details about the house can all be shared online to garner great interest. Now that the house is listed as "coming soon", begin contacting other agents and potential buyers to share the listing and create more interest.
- Monday and Tuesday: heavy social media marketing
- Monday and Tuesday: contact agents and real estate buyer leads
- Thurs. and Friday: promote upcoming open houses
- The following Monday & Tuesday: sort through offers
Good timing goes a long way in capturing potential home buyers and satisfying sellers. Try the listing schedule above and take advantage of popular online home search times in the evenings. The more you get the word out about your listing, the more likely you'll have the home under contract in record time.
