Ask most people when the best time to sell a house is, and they’ll probably tell you spring. The snow melts, the grass turns green, gardens come back to life, and buyers emerge from their winter hibernation ready to find a new place to call home.
And they’re not necessarily wrong.
Spring is traditionally one of the busiest seasons in real estate, both nationally and here in Vermont. But here’s something I encourage homeowners to consider: the busiest time to sell isn’t always the best time to sell your particular property.
Sometimes the greatest opportunity comes when everyone else is waiting.
I’m Erin McCormick, a Realtor with Keller Williams Vermont and the founder of Travel Like a Local® Vermont. Between selling homes, studying market data, and spending years exploring communities throughout the state, I’ve learned that Vermont’s seasons can influence the real estate market in some interesting ways.
The right time to sell depends on more than the month on the calendar. It depends on your home, the competition, the buyers most likely to be interested, and what you’re trying to accomplish.
Spring: The Traditional Vermont Real Estate Rush
There’s a reason so many homeowners aim to list their properties between April and June.
The days are getting longer, buyers are increasingly active, and people planning summer moves are beginning to make decisions. Homes generally show well once the snow disappears, and sellers have more opportunities to highlight landscaping, outdoor living spaces, and curb appeal.
National real estate data consistently shows stronger sales activity during spring and early summer, although the exact timing and magnitude vary by market.
But spring comes with a tradeoff.
More buyers also tend to mean more sellers.
When everyone decides to list their home at the same time, buyers suddenly have more choices. Your property might be competing with several similar homes in the same town, neighborhood, or price range.
And in Vermont, where inventory can vary significantly from one community to another, that competition matters.
If your home is one of five comparable properties entering the market in May, buyers can afford to be selective. But if you’re the only appealing option in your price range in February, you may attract attention that would otherwise be divided among several listings.
That’s why I don’t automatically recommend waiting for spring.
I want to know what your competition looks like today and what it might look like when everyone else decides it’s time to sell.
Summer: When Vermont Properties Can Really Show Off
If you’ve ever driven through Vermont in July, you know how appealing our state can be in the summer.
The mountains are green, gardens are flourishing, patios are inviting, and the lakes and rivers are full of activity. For certain properties, this is when the setting becomes a major part of the selling experience.
A waterfront home is easier to appreciate when buyers can see the shoreline, docks, and outdoor living spaces in use. A farmhouse with extensive gardens and open acreage can be particularly appealing when everything is in bloom. A home with a pool, outdoor kitchen, or expansive deck may benefit from being shown when those features are most relevant.
Summer also works well for buyers hoping to move before the start of the school year or settle into a new home before winter.
But just as with spring, competition matters.
If a large number of comparable properties are available, your home needs to stand out through pricing, presentation, and marketing.
And if you’re selling a property with particularly attractive summer features, I want to make sure we’re capturing them with professional photography and video rather than relying on a buyer’s imagination.
Fall: One of Vermont’s Most Underrated Selling Seasons
I might be biased, but I think Vermont puts on its best performance in the fall.
There’s something about a classic Vermont farmhouse framed by red maples, a mountain property surrounded by golden foliage, or a village home with pumpkins on the porch that makes people appreciate the lifestyle here.
As the founder of Travel Like a Local® Vermont, I’ve spent years documenting our foliage seasons, and I know how much interest Vermont generates during this time of year.
That doesn’t automatically translate into home sales, of course. But for the right property, fall can be a compelling time to market the setting and lifestyle.
September and October can also bring an interesting shift in buyer behavior.
Some buyers who spent the summer looking are still searching, but the number of new listings may begin to decline. Others are motivated to find a home before winter or the end of the year.
This creates opportunities for sellers whose properties are well positioned.
One thing I particularly like about fall listings is the opportunity to showcase Vermont at its most recognizable. Mountain views, historic architecture, wooded acreage, and outdoor spaces can all photograph beautifully.
Of course, foliage doesn’t last forever, and I wouldn’t recommend delaying a listing solely to catch the perfect red maple.
But if the timing aligns with your goals, fall deserves serious consideration.
Winter: Why Selling During the Off-Season Can Be a Smart Move
Here’s where I tend to challenge conventional wisdom.
A lot of Vermont homeowners assume that selling in winter is a bad idea.
Who wants to move when it’s 10 degrees outside? Who wants to schedule showings around snowstorms? And how can buyers appreciate the landscaping when everything is buried under a foot of snow?
Those are reasonable concerns.
But winter has one potentially significant advantage: less competition from other sellers.
Many homeowners take their properties off the market or wait until spring to list. That means buyers who are actively searching may have fewer homes to choose from.
And the people shopping for homes in January aren’t necessarily browsing casually.
Some are relocating for work. Others have sold a property and need to find their next home. Some are moving because of family circumstances or simply don’t want to wait another six months.
Those buyers can be highly motivated.
If your home is well priced, professionally presented, and one of the few properties available in its market segment, winter may offer an opportunity to stand out.
There’s also something to be said for seeing a Vermont home in winter.
A cozy living room, a wood-burning fireplace, a well-maintained driveway, and an efficient heating system can all become meaningful selling points when the temperature drops.
That said, winter isn’t ideal for every property. Snow can obscure landscaping, make certain features difficult to inspect, and complicate access. A remote home with a challenging driveway may require additional planning, and some buyers will prefer to see the land without snow cover.
The key is understanding whether the reduced competition outweighs those limitations for your particular property.
What About Mud Season?
Ah, mud season. Vermont’s unofficial fifth season.
If you’ve ever navigated deep ruts on a dirt road in March or April, you know that the transition from winter to spring isn’t always picturesque.
Mud season can complicate showings for rural properties, particularly those accessed by unpaved roads or long gravel driveways.
A property that’s easy to reach in August may require considerably more patience during the spring thaw.
Does that mean you should never list a rural home during mud season? Of course not.
But it’s something I consider when developing a marketing strategy. We may need to think about road access, showing logistics, the condition of the driveway, and whether photographs from another season would help buyers understand the property.
And sometimes, waiting a few weeks for conditions to improve makes sense.
It’s one more example of why Vermont real estate doesn’t always follow the national playbook.
Less Competition Can Matter More Than More Buyers
Here’s the concept I really want sellers to understand.
The number of buyers in the market is important, but so is the number of competing homes.
Imagine you’re selling a three-bedroom home in a desirable Vermont community.
In May, there might be ten similar homes available. In January, there might be only two.
Even if there are fewer active buyers in January, your property may receive a greater share of the attention from buyers looking for that type of home.
Of course, the opposite can also happen. If buyer demand falls more sharply than inventory, winter conditions may be less favorable for sellers.
That’s why I don’t rely on seasonal assumptions alone.
I look at the relationship between supply and demand, including active listings, recent sales, pending transactions, days on market, and price reductions within your specific market segment.
The best time to sell is often when the balance between buyer demand and competing inventory works in your favor.
And that can happen in any month.
Different Vermont Properties Have Different Selling Seasons
One of the reasons I love Vermont real estate is that our housing stock is anything but uniform.
A ski-in, ski-out property near a mountain resort has a different buyer audience from a lakefront cottage, a village home, or a historic farmhouse with extensive gardens.
The season that best showcases a property may influence when it makes sense to list.
For a ski property, winter can help buyers appreciate access to the mountain and the surrounding recreational lifestyle. For a lakefront home, summer may provide the best opportunity to showcase waterfront amenities. For a rural property with acreage, spring through fall may make it easier to understand the land, drainage, and outdoor features.
But the most photogenic season isn’t necessarily the strongest selling season.
A property might look its best in July but face considerably more competition than it would in November.
I weigh those considerations alongside the data before making a recommendation.
You Don’t Have to Wait for Perfect Conditions
One of the biggest mistakes sellers can make is waiting indefinitely for the market to feel perfect.
Maybe you’re hoping mortgage rates will fall. Maybe you’re waiting for spring. Maybe you’re wondering whether another year of appreciation will make a significant difference.
The problem is that we can’t know exactly what the market will do next.
Lower interest rates could bring more buyers into the market, but they could also encourage more homeowners to list, increasing competition. Waiting for warmer weather may improve your property’s appearance, but it may also mean entering a more crowded market.
And if selling your home is part of a larger move, there are personal considerations that deserve just as much attention as the market statistics.
What’s the cost of maintaining your current property? Are you buying another home? Does waiting affect your ability to relocate, downsize, or make a lifestyle change?
I believe in making informed decisions based on what we know today rather than trying to predict the perfect moment.
So, When Is the Best Time to Sell Your Vermont Home?
The answer isn’t automatically May, June, or any other month.
It’s when your property can be positioned effectively, buyer demand supports your goals, the competition is manageable, and the timing makes sense for your life.
Sometimes that’s spring, when buyers are active and homes show beautifully. Sometimes it’s summer or fall, when a property’s setting is especially appealing.
And sometimes, it’s January, when your home might be one of the few available options for a motivated buyer.
My job is to help you understand those tradeoffs using actual market data, not just seasonal assumptions.
As a Realtor with Keller Williams Vermont and the brokerage’s top agent since 2025, I bring a combination of local market knowledge, marketing expertise, and national real estate experience to every listing.
I also bring a commitment to giving my clients straightforward advice, even when that advice goes against conventional wisdom.
If you’re thinking about selling your Vermont home, I’d be happy to evaluate your property, the current competition, and the timing that makes the most sense for your goals.
Because the best time to sell isn’t necessarily when everyone else is selling.
Let's Talk About Selling Your Vermont Home
Erin McCormick | Realtor, Keller Williams Vermont
Founder, Travel Like a Local® Vermont | Live Local Vermont
When Is the Best Time to Sell a Home in Vermont? It Might Not Be Spring.
Ask most people when the best time to sell a house is, and they’ll probably tell you spring. The snow melts, the grass turns green, gardens come back to life, and buyers emerge from their winter hibernation ready to find a new place to call home.
And they’re not necessarily wrong.
Spring is traditionally one of the busiest seasons in real estate, both nationally and here in Vermont. But here’s something I encourage homeowners to consider: the busiest time to sell isn’t always the best time to sell your particular property.
Sometimes the greatest opportunity comes when everyone else is waiting.
I’m Erin McCormick, a Realtor with Keller Williams Vermont and the founder of Travel Like a Local® Vermont. Between selling homes, studying market data, and spending years exploring communities throughout the state, I’ve learned that Vermont’s seasons can influence the real estate market in some interesting ways.
The right time to sell depends on more than the month on the calendar. It depends on your home, the competition, the buyers most likely to be interested, and what you’re trying to accomplish.
Spring: The Traditional Vermont Real Estate Rush
There’s a reason so many homeowners aim to list their properties between April and June.
The days are getting longer, buyers are increasingly active, and people planning summer moves are beginning to make decisions. Homes generally show well once the snow disappears, and sellers have more opportunities to highlight landscaping, outdoor living spaces, and curb appeal.
National real estate data consistently shows stronger sales activity during spring and early summer, although the exact timing and magnitude vary by market.
But spring comes with a tradeoff.
More buyers also tend to mean more sellers.
When everyone decides to list their home at the same time, buyers suddenly have more choices. Your property might be competing with several similar homes in the same town, neighborhood, or price range.
And in Vermont, where inventory can vary significantly from one community to another, that competition matters.
If your home is one of five comparable properties entering the market in May, buyers can afford to be selective. But if you’re the only appealing option in your price range in February, you may attract attention that would otherwise be divided among several listings.
That’s why I don’t automatically recommend waiting for spring.
I want to know what your competition looks like today and what it might look like when everyone else decides it’s time to sell.
Summer: When Vermont Properties Can Really Show Off
If you’ve ever driven through Vermont in July, you know how appealing our state can be in the summer.
The mountains are green, gardens are flourishing, patios are inviting, and the lakes and rivers are full of activity. For certain properties, this is when the setting becomes a major part of the selling experience.
A waterfront home is easier to appreciate when buyers can see the shoreline, docks, and outdoor living spaces in use. A farmhouse with extensive gardens and open acreage can be particularly appealing when everything is in bloom. A home with a pool, outdoor kitchen, or expansive deck may benefit from being shown when those features are most relevant.
Summer also works well for buyers hoping to move before the start of the school year or settle into a new home before winter.
But just as with spring, competition matters.
If a large number of comparable properties are available, your home needs to stand out through pricing, presentation, and marketing.
And if you’re selling a property with particularly attractive summer features, I want to make sure we’re capturing them with professional photography and video rather than relying on a buyer’s imagination.
Fall: One of Vermont’s Most Underrated Selling Seasons
I might be biased, but I think Vermont puts on its best performance in the fall.
There’s something about a classic Vermont farmhouse framed by red maples, a mountain property surrounded by golden foliage, or a village home with pumpkins on the porch that makes people appreciate the lifestyle here.
As the founder of Travel Like a Local® Vermont, I’ve spent years documenting our foliage seasons, and I know how much interest Vermont generates during this time of year.
That doesn’t automatically translate into home sales, of course. But for the right property, fall can be a compelling time to market the setting and lifestyle.
September and October can also bring an interesting shift in buyer behavior.
Some buyers who spent the summer looking are still searching, but the number of new listings may begin to decline. Others are motivated to find a home before winter or the end of the year.
This creates opportunities for sellers whose properties are well positioned.
One thing I particularly like about fall listings is the opportunity to showcase Vermont at its most recognizable. Mountain views, historic architecture, wooded acreage, and outdoor spaces can all photograph beautifully.
Of course, foliage doesn’t last forever, and I wouldn’t recommend delaying a listing solely to catch the perfect red maple.
But if the timing aligns with your goals, fall deserves serious consideration.
Winter: Why Selling During the Off-Season Can Be a Smart Move
Here’s where I tend to challenge conventional wisdom.
A lot of Vermont homeowners assume that selling in winter is a bad idea.
Who wants to move when it’s 10 degrees outside? Who wants to schedule showings around snowstorms? And how can buyers appreciate the landscaping when everything is buried under a foot of snow?
Those are reasonable concerns.
But winter has one potentially significant advantage: less competition from other sellers.
Many homeowners take their properties off the market or wait until spring to list. That means buyers who are actively searching may have fewer homes to choose from.
And the people shopping for homes in January aren’t necessarily browsing casually.
Some are relocating for work. Others have sold a property and need to find their next home. Some are moving because of family circumstances or simply don’t want to wait another six months.
Those buyers can be highly motivated.
If your home is well priced, professionally presented, and one of the few properties available in its market segment, winter may offer an opportunity to stand out.
There’s also something to be said for seeing a Vermont home in winter.
A cozy living room, a wood-burning fireplace, a well-maintained driveway, and an efficient heating system can all become meaningful selling points when the temperature drops.
That said, winter isn’t ideal for every property. Snow can obscure landscaping, make certain features difficult to inspect, and complicate access. A remote home with a challenging driveway may require additional planning, and some buyers will prefer to see the land without snow cover.
The key is understanding whether the reduced competition outweighs those limitations for your particular property.
What About Mud Season?
Ah, mud season. Vermont’s unofficial fifth season.
If you’ve ever navigated deep ruts on a dirt road in March or April, you know that the transition from winter to spring isn’t always picturesque.
Mud season can complicate showings for rural properties, particularly those accessed by unpaved roads or long gravel driveways.
A property that’s easy to reach in August may require considerably more patience during the spring thaw.
Does that mean you should never list a rural home during mud season? Of course not.
But it’s something I consider when developing a marketing strategy. We may need to think about road access, showing logistics, the condition of the driveway, and whether photographs from another season would help buyers understand the property.
And sometimes, waiting a few weeks for conditions to improve makes sense.
It’s one more example of why Vermont real estate doesn’t always follow the national playbook.
Less Competition Can Matter More Than More Buyers
Here’s the concept I really want sellers to understand.
The number of buyers in the market is important, but so is the number of competing homes.
Imagine you’re selling a three-bedroom home in a desirable Vermont community.
In May, there might be ten similar homes available. In January, there might be only two.
Even if there are fewer active buyers in January, your property may receive a greater share of the attention from buyers looking for that type of home.
Of course, the opposite can also happen. If buyer demand falls more sharply than inventory, winter conditions may be less favorable for sellers.
That’s why I don’t rely on seasonal assumptions alone.
I look at the relationship between supply and demand, including active listings, recent sales, pending transactions, days on market, and price reductions within your specific market segment.
The best time to sell is often when the balance between buyer demand and competing inventory works in your favor.
And that can happen in any month.
Different Vermont Properties Have Different Selling Seasons
One of the reasons I love Vermont real estate is that our housing stock is anything but uniform.
A ski-in, ski-out property near a mountain resort has a different buyer audience from a lakefront cottage, a village home, or a historic farmhouse with extensive gardens.
The season that best showcases a property may influence when it makes sense to list.
For a ski property, winter can help buyers appreciate access to the mountain and the surrounding recreational lifestyle. For a lakefront home, summer may provide the best opportunity to showcase waterfront amenities. For a rural property with acreage, spring through fall may make it easier to understand the land, drainage, and outdoor features.
But the most photogenic season isn’t necessarily the strongest selling season.
A property might look its best in July but face considerably more competition than it would in November.
I weigh those considerations alongside the data before making a recommendation.
You Don’t Have to Wait for Perfect Conditions
One of the biggest mistakes sellers can make is waiting indefinitely for the market to feel perfect.
Maybe you’re hoping mortgage rates will fall. Maybe you’re waiting for spring. Maybe you’re wondering whether another year of appreciation will make a significant difference.
The problem is that we can’t know exactly what the market will do next.
Lower interest rates could bring more buyers into the market, but they could also encourage more homeowners to list, increasing competition. Waiting for warmer weather may improve your property’s appearance, but it may also mean entering a more crowded market.
And if selling your home is part of a larger move, there are personal considerations that deserve just as much attention as the market statistics.
What’s the cost of maintaining your current property? Are you buying another home? Does waiting affect your ability to relocate, downsize, or make a lifestyle change?
I believe in making informed decisions based on what we know today rather than trying to predict the perfect moment.
So, When Is the Best Time to Sell Your Vermont Home?
The answer isn’t automatically May, June, or any other month.
It’s when your property can be positioned effectively, buyer demand supports your goals, the competition is manageable, and the timing makes sense for your life.
Sometimes that’s spring, when buyers are active and homes show beautifully. Sometimes it’s summer or fall, when a property’s setting is especially appealing.
And sometimes, it’s January, when your home might be one of the few available options for a motivated buyer.
My job is to help you understand those tradeoffs using actual market data, not just seasonal assumptions.
As a Realtor with Keller Williams Vermont and the brokerage’s top agent since 2025, I bring a combination of local market knowledge, marketing expertise, and national real estate experience to every listing.
I also bring a commitment to giving my clients straightforward advice, even when that advice goes against conventional wisdom.
If you’re thinking about selling your Vermont home, I’d be happy to evaluate your property, the current competition, and the timing that makes the most sense for your goals.
Because the best time to sell isn’t necessarily when everyone else is selling.
[Let’s Talk About Selling Your Vermont Home]
Erin McCormick | Realtor, Keller Williams Vermont
Founder, Travel Like a Local® Vermont | Live Local Vermont