When Is the Best Time to Sell a House in San Diego?

If you’re selling your house in San Diego, there probably won’t be a lack of buyers. In fact, you might be flooded with offers in this seller’s market. But selecting the best time to sell a house in San Diego can make a difference in how much money you might make from the sale.

For instance, based on historical sales data, if you list your San Diego, California home in March, you could sell it for 3.08% more than the yearly average. For a $1 million home, that’s an additional $30,800!

To break down the best time to sell a house in San Diego, we spoke with Woody Henderson, a top agent with 17 years of experience in San Diego to discuss selling trends, top tips for selling your home, and the biggest mistake sellers make when they decide to list their home — and, of course, the best time to sell.

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San Diego housing trends

With a population of more than 3.3 million, San Diego County is the fifth most populous county in the country as of July 2021. San Diego itself has a population of just under 1.5 million. And the frenzy to buy homes as they come on the market has pushed home prices to an all-time high.

On average, homes in the current San Diego market sell in as few as 8 to 10 days after being listed — from listing date to a signed contract. Some home sale data sites indicate it can be even faster.

According to CoreLogic, the median home price in San Diego is around $925,000, with a year-over-year increase of 21.7%.

It’s clear that the San Diego housing market is on pace with the rest of the country with increasing home prices and low inventory.

When is the best time to sell a house in San Diego?

According to Henderson, recent months — April, March, and February 2022 — have seen record-high median sales. Historically, San Diego follows cyclical seasonal trends with prices beginning to rise in January and rising through the summer until leveling out in the fall.

Let’s take a look at real estate transaction data for San Diego and some surrounding cities to find the best time to sell your home whether you want to sell for the most money or sell fast.

Best times to sell a house in San Diego

Best times to sell a house in Chula Vista

Best times to sell a house in La Mesa

Best times to sell a house in El Cajon

Best times to sell a house in Lakeside

Best times to sell a house in Vista

Best times to sell a house in Escondido

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

For information about home-selling trends in your city, check out our Best Time To Sell Calculator.

Using this information as a jumping-off point, you’ll be prepared to talk with a top-performing real estate agent in San Diego who can give you personalized recommendations for the best month to sell your home based on your specific area and local market.

3 selling trends in San Diego

1. Many trends are neighborhood specific

San Diego is made up of hundreds of neighborhoods, each with its own charm and character and some with their own specific selling trends. For instance, Henderson points out that sales in the coastal areas, Mission Bay specifically, typically pick up in late summer after tourists come into the area and decide they want to make it their permanent residence.

Because of the diversity of San Diego County’s neighborhoods, it’s difficult to be satisfied with a simple year-over-year price change statistic. A closer look reveals that while some single-family neighborhoods have seen a price change below 5%, others have seen a price change of up to 65%, though more commonly, the change lies between 20% and 30%.

2. A solid economic base creates a strong seller’s market

Henderson says that the presence of the military, biotech and high tech industries, and tourism result in a solid economic base in San Diego. The median household income in San Diego is $83,576 compared to $61,937 for the U.S. as a whole. So while prices are high in comparison with other areas of the country, the economy and many homebuyers are able to handle the higher price tag.

3. There are concerns about housing affordability and inventory

Despite the robust economy and high wages, housing affordability is a real concern in San Diego. One way that San Diego is addressing this issue is through the San Diego Housing Commission’s Affordable For-Sale Housing program.

This program seeks to make homeownership possible for low- and moderate-income families. Eligibility is based on a number of factors, including meeting income requirements and being both a San Diego County resident and a first-time homebuyer (or not having owned a home in the previous three years. Those that are selling these properties must sell them to an eligible buyer, but unfortunately, the supply of these homes is limited.

Along with affordability concerns, there are also supply concerns as the supply of San Diego homes for sale can’t keep up with demand. The Greater San Diego Association of Realtors® (SDAR) reports a one-year change of -40.8% in the number of homes for sale. Because San Diego thrives on the innovation economy and local businesses, a lack of available housing could impact its ability to attract top talent.

Insider tips to help sell your San Diego home

“Homes sell the fastest when you’ve chosen the right agent to list and sell your home” — Henderson recommends a HomeLight agent. For his part, his team has “a full 21-step process that starts with professional photography, 3D tour, and schematic floor plans. All of these things that really maximize the exposure of our listings that help homes sell faster and for a higher price.”

With today’s inventory crunch, sellers can see how quickly homes are selling and decide to sell the house themselves. While the house may sell quickly, Henderson points out that these sellers are likely leaving money on the table. According to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) and independent studies, for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) homes sell for 5.5% to 22% less than agent-assisted sales.

Selling a home fast in this market isn’t necessarily the main concern — homes in San Diego are selling in record time. But selling a house for the most money “is all about preparation and presentation,” Henderson says.

The best strategy is to meet with a top-performing real estate agent. HomeLight’s data reveals that the top 5% of real estate agents sell homes for 10% more than an average agent.

Henderson shares that an experienced agent will develop a plan to meet the seller’s requirements and take a look at the timeline, asking questions like “When is the right time to sell for an individual and their circumstances? What do they need to do to get the home ready to sell? Does it need staging? Are there improvements to make? — You need a trusted advisor to give you that advice.”

Selling a house is a complicated process, so Henderson recommends finding an agent who has systems and processes in place and can explain them to you, so you know how the system works and how the agent will maximize your net proceeds.

While certain projects, like a beautiful outdoor space, can help the home sell quickly and for more money, Henderson suggests calling in a real estate professional and discussing the changes to ensure the work you do will give you the highest return on investment.

Connect With a Top Agent to Sell Your San Diego Home

It takes just two minutes to match clients with the best real estate agents, who will contact you and guide you through the process. To connect with an agent, simply tell us a little bit about your property and how soon you’re looking to sell.

Our data shows the top 5% of agents across the U.S. help clients sell their home for as much as 10% more than the average real estate agent.

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Answers to other San Diego home-selling questions

Are home prices in San Diego increasing faster or slower than in other similar-sized cities?

Home prices in San Diego have increased 17.3% year-over-year, according to the San Diego Association of Realtors® as of January 2022. Data gathered since January suggest the increase may be as high as 22.7%. Cities of similar size (around 1.5 million) have also seen home price increases over the last year, though these increases vary. In Phoenix, Arizona, home prices have gone up 27.5% and in Houston, Texas, they’ve increased just 4.5%.

In California, Los Angeles home prices have trended up 6.5% year-over-year and San Francisco has seen an increase of 3.6%, showing that in California, San Diego’s home prices seem to be appreciating significantly faster than its neighboring cities and slightly ahead of the predicted national average increase of 16.4%.

To see what your home might be worth now, you can use HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator. This free tool pulls together transaction data from multiple sources to give you a real-time ballpark estimate based on current market trends and your answers to a few questions.

What if I need a fast sale and closing in San Diego?

San Diego homes are selling quickly but there’s still no guarantee of a quick sale. If you need to ensure a fast home sale or don’t have the time or money necessary to make needed repairs to your home, consider requesting an all-cash offer with HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform.

In just a few minutes, you can complete a short questionnaire and receive a no-obligation cash offer within 48 hours. Simple Sale provides a cash offer on homes in almost any condition in San Diego, so you can skip the preparations, open houses, and repairs and close in as few as 10 days.

What is the biggest mistake San Diego home sellers make?

Henderson says that the biggest mistake sellers make when selling a home in San Diego is not asking the right questions to ensure that they get the best results. “Oftentimes, people are focused on the commission rate when the real question should be ‘how much can you sell my home for so that the commission rate doesn’t even matter.” Henderson focuses on getting the highest net proceeds and says that’s what home sellers should be focused on as well.

Find a top agent in San Diego for a successful home sale

Choosing the best time to list your home so that it sells faster and for more money doesn’t have to be hard. When you’re working with the right information, you can make informed decisions that will net you more money, maximizing the profit on your home. And finding a top agent in your area means that you’ll have a trusted partner and advisor to help you achieve a successful home sale.

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