This Is the Best Day of the Week to View New Home Listings.
Anyone looking for a new home knows how fast the listing review process can be. I’m currently looking to rent an apartment in New York City, and I know all too well how painful it is to see my dream ad posted in the morning and snatched up by someone (presumably richer and faster than me) within a few hours.
You may not be able to control the time of year you need to move, but you can control when you search for specific listings. If you want to optimize your search for a house or apartment, you need to know when is the best time to look for new listings.
When to look for new advertisements for houses and apartments
Let’s do a little reverse engineering here. To determine when is the best time for a buyer to look for new listings, I researched when sellers are encouraged to post their listings. General consensus: Thursday is the day to search for classified ads.
That’s because sites like Zillow advise landlords that Thursday is the best day to list because most renters want to view rental properties as soon as possible, and most have more availability on the weekend.
Brett Johnson, owner of New Era Home Buyers, confirms Thursday is the day most real estate agents will begin listing homes for sale in preparation for Saturday and Sunday. Johnson suggests serious buyers view Thursday morning listings so they can schedule private viewings before open houses begin: “Waiting until the weekend to start viewing homes means you’re already behind—sellers may have multiple offers on hand by then.”
When it comes to the best time of day to view listings, you can also strategize about a typical workday. Let’s say property managers and agents start posting new listings early in their day, around 9-10 am.
Give yourself enough time before your moving date
Start your home search about 60 days before your desired move-in date: Most landlords and property managers list rentals 30 to 60 days before they become available, so looking at this time gives you access to the latest inventory.
This window will give you plenty of time to schedule viewings, submit applications, and complete paperwork without feeling rushed. Plus, you can still take advantage of any early booking specials or pre-let incentives the properties may offer. This timeline also allows you the flexibility to expand your search if your preferred areas don’t have what you’re looking for.
Bottom line
Rapid changes in a competitive market mean your search for a new home may seem more chaotic. We can’t assume that sites like Zillow or StreetEasy will exclusively post the best and newest listings every Thursday at 9am. The upside to a fast-paced and competitive market is that plenty of dream listings can (and do) appear at any time of the day. Instead of torturing yourself by hitting “refresh” over and over again, consider investing in a real estate agent who can dedicate their time to finding you the best deals as soon as they become available. You should also check out our guide to off-market listings so you can get in early and make an offer before everyone swoops in to snatch your dream home from under you.