What’s the best day to list a house for sale?

In the real estate game, getting the quickest and highest offer possible is the goal of every home seller. To achieve this, you must act strategically. There are good and bad times of year to sell your home, but many sellers are unaware that there are also good and bad days of the week to put a home on the market. Sellers can increase the likelihood of maximizing their gains by listing a property on one day in particular: Thursday. Let’s find out what makes Thursdays the best day to list a house for sale.

The best day of the week to put your house on the market

When it comes to days of the week, Thursday is the sweet spot for listing your home for sale. This is mainly because house-hunters tend to plan their in-person home tours for the weekend, when they’re not at work, and pre-weekend listings are fresh in their minds.

“Listing a property on Thursday creates a buzz around it right before the weekend,” says Naim Harrison, a Realtor and broker with Kennedy Taylor Realty in Atlanta.

If you really want to game the timing, consider advertising your property after 5 p.m. on Thursday, when most people come home from work and start looking online. Your brand-new listing has a good chance of being among the first ones buyers see.

Best day for the highest price

Thursday listings can also be a good bet to increase your home-sale profits. A Zillow study from 2021 found that homes listed on Thursdays were more likely to sell for above their asking price than those listed on other days of the week.

“Listing a property on Thursday [or] Friday makes the listing look fresh,” says San Diego Realtor Jessica Nguyen of Homesmart Realty West. “Sellers don’t lose any market time by listing a property on either of these days.”

A Redfin study found that Wednesdays can also be good for garnering a higher price, with homes listed on a Wednesday earning prices about $2,000 higher than those listed on Sundays.

Best day for the fastest sale

Listing your property on a Thursday can help sell a home fast as well as for the best price, the Zillow study found. This time frame gives sellers enough time to have multiple showings over the weekend — and, hopefully, an offer or two by Monday.

The Redfin study also found Thursdays to be optimal for a faster sale timeline, with Thursday-listed homes selling five days faster than their baseline metric.

Megan Laikin, a RE/MAX Advantage agent in Baltimore, says she likes to employ this strategy for a quick sale. “I typically list my latest property on Thursday, do a private showing on Friday and hold an open house on Saturday or Sunday,” she says. Her goal is to have the property under contract by Monday.

It’s important to note, however, that this super-fast timeline is very ambitious. According to data from the National Association of Realtors, in June 2024, properties were remaining on the market for about 22 days before going into contract. The number of days a house stays on the market can depend on various factors, including location, market conditions and asking price. But a five-day, Thursday-to-Monday timeline is extremely speedy.

Regional differences

As a general rule, end-of-week listings often have the best results all across the country — as the Realtors above from Georgia, California and Maryland report. But rules are made to be broken, and results may vary from region to region.

“While the timing of the listing is key, there are some exceptions to the rule,” says Indira Ranganathan, a broker with Guard Hill Realty in Westchester County, New York. “Sellers must understand the market conditions, accurately assess the value of the home and list at a very competitive price. These factors also contribute to how quickly a sale happens.”

Real estate is hyper-local, and market conditions can vary greatly from one location to another. Seasonality may also come into play in some markets, and holidays — even just long weekends — can have an impact on sales too. It’s important to work with a knowledgeable local real estate agent who understands the intricacies of your specific area.

Bottom line

Thursday is generally thought to be the best day of the week to list a house for sale. Studies have shown that homes listed on Thursdays are more likely to sell faster, and for a higher price, but local markets can differ. Talk to your agent about whether listing your property on a Thursday should be part of your home-sale strategy.