If you’re thinking of selling your Arizona home in 2020, here are the best (and worst) times of year to do it, by the numbers.
When selling a home in Arizona, timing isn’t everything; however, it can certainly influence how long it takes and the price you’re ultimately able to get.
If you have some flexibility with your sale, it’s worth doing some market research to boost your chances of getting the best outcome possible.
In terms of price, the best month to sell a house in Arizona is December. The median sale price for Arizona homes in December is $287,000, which is $11,750 more than the annual average.
The best month to sell a house fast in Arizona is October. Arizona homes sold in October are on the market for an average of 41, which is 5 days faster than the annual average.
Of course, this is just a small piece of the overall picture. Below, we’ve compiled some of the most important data to consider before deciding when to sell your Arizona home, including monthly inventory, sale prices, sale-to-list ratios, days on market, and more.
The best time of year to sell a house in Arizona
Determining the “right” time to sell your house is somewhat subjective, as it really depends on your specific goals and circumstances. That said, if you’re like most sellers — i.e., your top priorities are selling high and fast — here’s when you should list your Arizona house.
| Best months to sell a house in Arizona | Typical sale price premium | Days sold faster than average |
| December | $11,750 | 3 days |
| October | $7,750 | 5 days |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan-Dec 2019
For the purposes of this article, we define:
- Sale price premium as the difference between the median sale price in a given month and the annual average median sale price in Arizona
- Days sold faster than average as the difference (in days) between the median days on market (DOM) for listings in a given month and the annual average DOM in Arizona
Importantly, these trends can vary from region to region. The table below shows the most lucrative months to sell for four major cities in Arizona.
| City | Best month to sell | Typical sale price premium |
| Phoenix | June | $10,250 |
| Tucson | April | $6,833 |
| Scottsdale | December | $22,583 |
| Chandler | May | $11,250 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan-Dec 2018
Arizona real estate market trends
Zooming back out to the national level, housing market activity — that is, the number of active listings and sales — is cyclical, peaking in late spring and hitting its annual low towards the end of the year.
Active listings and volume of home sales since 2016
Source: Realtor.com, Jul 2016-Feb 2020
As you can see above, the overall volume of pending sales — which is a good gauge of buyer demand — reliably spikes in May. So is listing in late spring always going to be the best move? Not necessarily.
That corresponding spike in inventory (number of active listings) also means more competition. Depending on factors like your property’s age, condition, location, etc., this could actually make it more difficult and/or expensive to sell.
- Spring: Buyer demand typically peaks, but so does inventory, which means more competition with other sellers
- Summer: The level of competition remains high, but buyers with families will be highly motivated to move before the school year begins
- Fall: Real estate activity typically starts to taper, but the level of competition among sellers drops off as well
- Winter: This is the slowest time of year for many markets, but off-season buyers also tend to be more qualified and serious
Moreover, these trends vary considerably on state, regional, and local levels. To provide a more comprehensive picture of seasonal housing market trends in Arizona, we’ve compiled some of the most important data points below, along with some simple definitions and advice.
Median sale price in Arizona by month
| Month with highest median sale price | Median sale price | Premium over annual average |
| December | $287,000 | $11,750 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019
Median sale prices can help you understand when home sale prices for Arizona homes are typically at their annual high and low. When you zoom out and look at median sale prices over the course of a larger span of time — say, several years — it can also indicate broader trends, like home value appreciation and increasing buyer demand. The graph below shows median sale price trends in Arizona during 2019.
| Month | Median sale price in Arizona |
| January | $262,000 |
| February | $262,000 |
| March | $266,000 |
| April | $268,000 |
| May | $276,000 |
| June | $277,000 |
| July | $280,000 |
| August | $279,000 |
| September | $281,000 |
| October | $283,000 |
| November | $282,000 |
| December | $287,000 |
| Annual average sale price in Arizona | $275,250 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019
Median sale-to-list ratio by in Arizona month
| Month with highest sale-to-list ratio | Sale-to-list ratio | Average annual sale-to-list ratio |
| September | 98.50% | 98.36% |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019
>> MORE: Strike quick on a hot market with a faster way to sell your home for top dollar.
Sale-to-list ratio is a home’s final sale price divided by its list price, typically expressed as a percentage. If the number is above
100%, that means the home sold for more than its initial list price. Conversely, numbers below 100% mean the home sold for less than asking price.
When you look at the median sale-to-list ratio across a given market, it helps illustrate the degree of competition or demand among buyers in that area. This can tell you a lot about current market conditions — i.e., whether it’s a buyers or sellers market — and give you a sense of how much leverage you’ll have when it comes to offers and negotiations.
| Month | Median sale-to-list ratio in Arizona |
| January | 98.00% |
| February | 98.10% |
| March | 98.20% |
| April | 98.30% |
| May | 98.50% |
| June | 98.50% |
| July | 98.50% |
| August | 98.50% |
| September | 98.50% |
| October | 98.50% |
| November | 98.40% |
| December | 98.30% |
| Average annual sale-to-list ratio in Arizona | 98.36% |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019
Median days on market (DOM) in Arizona by month
| Fastest month to sell in Arizona | Median DOM | Days sold faster than average |
| October | 41 days | 5 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019
Days on market — or DOM — is commonly defined as the number of days from when a property is officially listed on a multiple listing service (MLS) and a sales contract is signed.
When a market has a low median DOM, that’s usually an indicator of favorable conditions for sellers, i.e., a high demand among buyers. Conversely, a higher median DOM signifies low demand, meaning less favorable conditions for sellers. Remember, seasonality can be a big factor, particularly in regions with bigger weather swings throughout the year. Moreover, demand can vary considerably from neighborhood to neighborhood. Talk to your realtor for an accurate read on current — or seasonal — market conditions in your area, specifically.
| Month | Median days on market in Arizona |
| January | 55 days |
| February | 55 days |
| March | 50 days |
| April | 47 days |
| May | 44 days |
| June | 45 days |
| July | 44 days |
| August | 43 days |
| September | 41 days |
| October | 41 days |
| November | 41 days |
| December | 43 days |
| Annual average DOM in Arizona | 46 days |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Jan 2019-Dec 2019
When should you sell your Arizona home?
Sometimes life changes — expected or not — can require selling during a slower month or time of year. That’s ok! The most important factor in deciding when to sell your house is you. Consider your own needs, financial situation, and timeline above everything else.
If your reason for selling is relatively flexible — say, you’re looking for a bigger house or more convenient neighborhood — it might be worth trying to time your sale; however, waiting for peak market conditions isn’t worth missing, say, a great job opportunity or putting off an important life goal, like retirement.
Top ways to sell your house in Arizona
- Low-commission real estate agents
- Top real estate agents in Arizona
- Flat-fee MLS services in Arizona
- We Buy Houses for Cash in Arizona
- iBuyer services
Additional resources for Arizona home sellers
- Average time to sell a house in Arizona
- How to sell a house fast in Arizona
- Average cost to sell a house in Arizona
- How to sell a house by owner in Arizona
- How much are closing costs for home sellers