PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – It’s no secret that buying a home in Portland is expensive, but what you may not realize is that you can get a better price at certain times of the year.

Spring was the most expensive time to buy in 2024, according to a new Zillow analysis that determined when sellers found the highest boosts to their final sale price. 

On average, homes sold between late April and early June had a boost of at least $9,000 tacked on to their final price. The highest difference was in early June, when homes sold for an average $10,900 more than their base rate.

Zillow’s findings show that spring tends to be the most expensive time for buyers and the most lucrative time for sellers. 

“Timing isn’t everything, but it certainly matters. Listing a home in the spring can yield sellers a significant financial advantage. Home sale data from 2024 shows that sellers who listed their home in the last two weeks of May netted an additional 1.6% on the sale, about $5,600 on the typical U.S. home.” Zillow said. “Sellers generally get better-than-average returns if they list between March 15 and July 31, but many factors affect the timing premium.”

Meanwhile, data show that the best time to buy in Portland was mid-fall to late-winter in 2024. Sellers lost out on an average of $23,900 when they sold in late December — a difference of $34,800 between spring and winter.

Across the U.S., homes sold for $5,600 more when they were listed in late-May in 2024, according to Zillow.

But experts warn that every year is different, and one can’t rely on previous housing market data to determine the exact selling cost of a home in 2025. 

"In the past few years, mortgage rate fluctuations upended the traditional spring home shopping season," Senior Economist Orphe Divounguy said "Buyers who are on the edge of qualifying for a loan jump in and out of the market depending on what's happening with rates. When rates fall, more buyers rush in, putting upward pressure on prices, which could happen at any time of year.”

Zillow has listed their full data for Portland — as well as other major cities — on its website.