Should You List Your Home During the Holidays?

The holidays have a way of making us pause to gather, reflect, and maybe even dream about what’s next. For some homeowners, that dream includes a new address. But is the holiday season really the right time to list?

The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. It depends on your home, your goals, and your timing. Let’s talk through when it makes sense to say yes to selling and when it’s better to wait until the champagne flutes are packed away.

When Listing Now Makes Perfect Sense

1. Your Home Already Feels Like a Hallmark Moment

If your home naturally glows this time of year with soft lighting, greenery, and maybe a fire crackling in the background, you’ve already created the kind of emotional connection buyers are drawn to. A tastefully decorated home photographs beautifully and makes people feel something. That feeling often translates to faster, stronger offers.

2. You’re Ready or Need to Make a Move

Maybe there’s a relocation on the horizon. Maybe you’ve found the next home. Either way, waiting for spring could mean missing your window.
While there are fewer listings during the holidays, the buyers who are out there are serious and they’re scrolling Zillow with a mug of cocoa in hand. Less competition means your home stands out.

3. Your Home Is Prepped and Photo-Ready

If your house is already clean, staged, and picture-perfect, there’s no need to hit pause. Online searches often spike when people have downtime over the holidays, and you never know who’s spending that quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s planning a big life change.

When It’s Better to Wait

1. You’re Mid-Project or Mid-Chaos

If you’re halfway through a bathroom update, or the idea of showings during family gatherings makes you want to run for the peppermint bark, take a breath. A fresh start in January or February might serve you better and give you time to present your home at its best.

2. You’re Not in a Hurry

If your timeline is flexible, a late-winter or early-spring launch can be strategic. That’s when relocation buyers and families start planning moves before the school year. Sometimes, patience pays off.

The Sweet Spot

Selling during the holidays isn’t about following the calendar. It’s about reading the moment. If your home shows beautifully, your motivation is clear, and you have a Realtor who knows how to position your property with intention, there’s no wrong season to sell.

At RE/MAX SunQuest, I help clients across West Michigan decide when the timing is right and make sure every detail, from photos to presentation, feels effortless.

Because selling isn’t just a transaction. It’s a transition. And when it’s done well, it feels a little like magic.