Choosing a month to market your home is useful planning; treating it as a promise of a successful sale is not. A national seasonal pattern can inform a decision, but it cannot account for every street, property type or household’s circumstances.
What the research says
In an article dated 4 February 2026, Rightmove reported that 68.9% of homes marketed in February in its analysis went on to find a buyer. January and March followed closely. The portal also said the differences between months were small and that local activity varies throughout the year.
These are Rightmove’s findings, not a guarantee of completion or the time a particular home will take to sell. They replace the older figures in our January 2024 archive item. The question for a seller is how useful the pattern is alongside evidence about their own home.
Work backwards from the move
Start with the reason for selling. A job change, family need or onward purchase may matter more than a modest statistical advantage. Write down the desired moving date, the flexibility available and the cost of waiting. Discuss the realistic sequence with your agent and conveyancer before fixing a marketing date.
Ask agents to show comparable transactions and explain their relevance. A nearby home may have a different size, condition, tenure or outdoor space. Current competing listings reveal what buyers can choose, while completed sales offer a different view of prices actually achieved. Avoid mixing the two without explanation.
Plan how you will respond
Agree when marketing performance will be reviewed and which signals matter: qualified enquiries, viewing feedback and offers, rather than page views alone. If interest is weak, ask whether price, presentation or a property-specific concern is the likely obstacle before automatically waiting for another season.
Consider practical availability too. If viewings are difficult to arrange for several weeks, a nominally attractive launch month may be less useful than a later date when the home can be shown properly. Discuss how photographs and descriptions will represent the property accurately.
There is no single month that makes an unsuitable price suitable or removes a chain’s uncertainty. Use the research as context for a plan tailored to your circumstances. Source checked on 5 November 2026; this article does not forecast an individual sale outcome.