For most homeowners in the New York area, spring still produces the highest prices, but the advantage is smaller than many sellers think. Zillow found that New York metro homes listed in the first two weeks of May 2025 sold for about 1.8% more, roughly $13,200 on a typical home. Winter, meanwhile, brings fewer competing listings and buyers who are ready to act. The right answer depends on your home, your property type and your timeline more than on the calendar.
Here is how I help sellers in East Harlem, Riverdale, Yonkers, Colonial Heights, Tuckahoe and Bronxville decide.
What the data says about seasons
| Winter | Spring | |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer traffic | Lower, but more motivated | Highest of the year |
| Competing listings | Fewest | Most |
| Price premium | Smaller | About 1.8% in the NY metro (first two weeks of May) |
| Best for | Ready homes, sellers on a deadline, co-ops aiming to close by summer | Homes that need preparation, houses with yards and curb appeal |
Sources: Zillow, Best Time to List analysis of 2025 sales, published March 2026; Redfin seasonality study of listings in 23 metro areas, 2012 to 2016.
Redfin's seasonality study of more than 7 million listings (2012 to 2016) found winter listings performed nearly as well as spring: 46.2% went under contract within 30 days, compared with 48.0% in spring, and the share selling above list price was 17.5% versus 18.7%. Fall was the weakest season on both measures. The takeaway is that a home listed in January or February is not at a real disadvantage. A home listed in late November, as the holidays start, usually is.
The local market heading into winter
The markets I work in are not slowing much. In Yonkers, Redfin reported a September 2026 median sale price of $649,691, up 8.8% from a year earlier, with 309 sales, a median of 36 days on market and a 101.2% sale-to-list ratio. Nearly half of homes, 46.7%, sold above asking.
Bronxville was tighter still: a September median sale price of about $2.17 million, homes selling in a median of 16 days at 103.4% of list, per Redfin. In East Harlem, PropertyShark recorded a third-quarter 2026 median of about $697,000, up 18.6%, with condos leading and co-ops softer.
When buyers outnumber available homes like this, a winter listing faces less competition from other sellers while demand stays in place.
Sell this winter if
- Your home is ready now. Clean, repaired and easy to photograph. A ready home in a low-inventory month stands out.
- You have a deadline. A job change, a purchase you have already made or an estate to settle. Waiting four months has carrying costs: taxes, maintenance, insurance and, for co-ops and condos, monthly charges.
- You are selling a co-op and want to close by early summer. Board approval typically adds 30 to 60 days after contract. To close in June, you generally need a signed contract by March or April, which means listing in February or early March.
- Your property type is in short supply. Bronxville and Colonial Heights houses, for example, have had limited inventory all year.
Wait for spring if
- Your home needs work. Painting, repairs or decluttering that cannot be finished well before January. Listing unprepared costs more than the season ever will.
- Your house sells on its outdoor space. Gardens, yards and exterior detail photograph best from April on. This applies to many houses in Colonial Heights, Tuckahoe and Fieldston.
- You have no deadline and want the full spring premium. If timing is truly flexible, the first half of May has historically been the strongest window in the New York metro.
A middle path: prepare now, launch early
For many sellers, the best plan is to use November and December to prepare and launch in late January or February. That captures most of the spring buyer pool before the wave of new listings arrives in April and May, and it fits co-op board timelines. It also gives time for the work that actually moves the price: pricing from recent closed sales, professional photography and video, and having disclosures and documents ready for buyers' attorneys.
Know your number first
Whatever season you choose, start with what you would actually walk away with. Use the net proceeds calculator for a quick estimate, and see the seller closing costs guide for transfer taxes and fees in NYC and Westchester. Then I am glad to prepare a written pricing strategy and net sheet for your home, in English or Spanish, so you can decide between winter and spring with real numbers.
Sources: Zillow, Best time to list: Homes sell for $6,000 more in late May, March 2026; Redfin, Yonkers housing market, September 2026 data; Redfin, Bronxville housing market, September 2026 data; PropertyShark, East Harlem market trends, Q3 2026; Redfin, best time to list a home. General information only, not legal or tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to sell a house in winter or spring in New York?
Spring usually brings slightly higher prices. Zillow found that New York metro homes listed in the first two weeks of May 2025 sold for about 1.8% more, roughly $13,200. Winter brings fewer competing listings and more serious buyers, so a well-priced, ready home can sell well in either season.
When is the best time to list a house in the New York area?
According to Zillow's 2026 analysis of 2025 sales, the first two weeks of May produced the highest sale premium in the New York metro. For co-ops, which need 30 to 60 days for board approval, listing in February or March is often the better way to close by early summer.
Do homes sell in the winter in Westchester?
Yes. Yonkers recorded 309 sales in September 2026, with a median of 36 days on market and a 101.2% sale-to-list ratio, according to Redfin. Demand does not stop in winter; the number of competing listings drops.
Should I wait until spring if my home needs work?
Usually yes. If a home needs repairs, painting or a cleanup that cannot be done well before January, using the winter to prepare and listing in late winter or early spring generally produces a better result than listing unprepared.
Rafael Barbosa is a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Compass with 14+ years of experience and 500+ closed transactions representing sellers in East Harlem, Riverdale, Yonkers, Colonial Heights, Tuckahoe and Bronxville. He works in English and Spanish. Reach him at 914-430-0440 or rafael@compass.com.
