When Is the Best Time to Sell a House in Hawaii?

Img

If you’re planning to put your Hawaii property on the market, you may be pondering how to set yourself up for success — whether that means securing the highest possible price or closing the sale quickly. While choosing the right local agent and preparing your home for the market are critical steps in the process, the timing of when you list can also play a key role in your outcome.

To help you determine the optimal time to sell a house in Hawaii, we connected with Jaymes Song, a highly rated professional with over 13 years of real estate experience. Song also offers valuable advice and insider strategies to help you attract qualified buyers more swiftly

What is Your Hawaii Home Worth?

Get a near-instant real estate house price estimate from HomeLight for free. Our tool analyzes the records of recently sold homes near you, your home’s last sale price, and other market trends to provide a preliminary range of value in under two minutes.

Hawaii housing trends

According to Song, sellers continue to have the upper hand in Hawaii’s single-family housing market. Simultaneously, the condo market has cooled, presenting a multifaceted selling environment.

“The Hawaii market is a little in flux right now. The single-family home market is still very strong with low inventory, but the condo market has taken a hit due to insurance and lending issues. It’s cooled off considerably and has shifted into a buyer’s market,” Song reports.

On average, homes in Hawaii take approximately 83 days to sell after they are listed. In real estate, this timeframe is referred to as the days on market (DOM), which measures the period from when a property is listed to when a purchase contract is signed. For context, the national DOM currently stands around 58 days. The median sales price for homes in Hawaii hovers near $1,033,125, reflecting a slight decrease compared to the previous year.

“Single-family homes are still very strong. Inventory is still low, prices are continuing to appreciate, and the market remains competitive. So you’ve got a cool market for condos and a strong market for houses — it’s a pretty unique time,” says Song.

What do these numbers indicate for sellers? The answer depends on what type of property you’re listing. While single-family homes are still commanding attention from eager buyers, strategic pricing and effective presentation are still key to standing out in today’s shifting market.

When is the best time to sell a house in Hawaii?

Although high interest rates and available inventory are impacting the market, Hawaii historically experiences some seasonal patterns, with sales activity rising during the summer months. This makes the broader period from April through October the ideal window to sell for maximum returns. If your goal is a quicker sale, the optimal time to list is typically May, though certain local markets see faster activity in the winter, beginning in December.

Since it generally takes 83 days to secure a buyer and approximately 41 days to finalize a loan, it’s advisable to list your property two to three months ahead of the prime selling period.

Song notes that while Hawaii has great weather year-round and doesn’t experience the same seasonal fluctuations as other housing markets on the mainland, spring and summer are still the peak seasons for selling a house.

“If someone has the choice, summer is the ideal time to list for two main reasons. First, families want to be settled before their kids start school in the fall. Hawaii is actually the only state in the U.S. with one unified public school district, which is pretty unique. The curriculum is the same no matter what island or city you’re in, but parents still want to be established before the school year starts,” Song says.

“Second, summer is also the primary PCS season for the military. Hawaii is home to every branch of the military and serves as a key post for the Pacific, so there’s a lot of movement during that time,” Song adds.

Now, let’s examine transaction data for some of the largest markets in Hawaii to identify the best time to sell your property — whether your goal is to maximize your sale price or achieve a quick closing.

Best times to sell a house in Honolulu

Selling objective List month Close month Benefit
Best time for higher price August November You could sell your house for 21.95% more than the yearly average.
Best time to sell fast June September You could sell your house 3 days sooner than if listed in other months.

Best times to sell a house in Mililani

Selling objective List month Close month Benefit
Best time for higher price April July You could sell your house for 5.76% more than the yearly average.
Best time to sell fast December March You could sell your house 3 days sooner than if listed in other months.

Best times to sell a house in Waipahu

Selling objective List month Close month Benefit
Best time for higher price October January You could sell your house for 6.89% more than the yearly average.
Best time to sell fast August November You could sell your house 12 days sooner than if listed in other months.

Best times to sell a house in Kailua

Selling objective List month Close month Benefit
Best time for higher price February May You could sell your house for 5.07% more than the yearly average.
Best time to sell fast May August You could sell your house 12 days sooner than if listed in other months.

Best times to sell a house in Kaneohe

Selling objective List month Close month Benefit
Best time for higher price May August You could sell your house for 6.79% more than the yearly average.
Best time to sell fast December March You could sell your house 11 days sooner than if listed in other months.

Best times to sell a house in Kapolei

Selling objective List month Close month Benefit
Best time for higher price June September You could sell your house for 2.58% more than the yearly average.
Best time to sell fast July October You could sell your house 6 days sooner than if listed in other months.

To explore home-selling trends in other cities, visit our Best Time to Sell Calculator.

Leveraging this data as a foundation, you’ll be ready to connect with a top-performing real estate agent in Hawaii who can provide tailored advice on the best month to list your home based on your neighborhood, personal circumstances, and up-to-date market conditions.


More From Life Style