SELLING your house can be tricky business, particularly if you don’t know the market well, but putting your property up for sale during certain months in the year can have a massive impact on your home’s sale.

Broadly speaking the best time to sell a house is when there are the most amount of buyers actively looking to buy. This is due to the positive effect that competition has on your achievable sale price.

Buyers competing over a property will force out the best offers. When you sell a house, this is a key factor behind getting the best price.

But this is how the four seasons in a year compare:

Spring

This is a great time to sell a house or flat as gardens arena bloom, there’s plenty of good light and mild weather, properties look their best and the market is full with buyers.

In good weather, buyers are more prepared to go house hunting, and many families look to match their purchase with the end of the school year.

Summer

High summer has never been the best time to sell a house, especially if it’s a family one.

School holidays are the big reason for this, as entertaining the kids leaves little time for house hunting - plus everyone else goes away on holiday.

If you have to sell a house in the summer, the site advises you try and get it on the market as early as possible.

If your home is not on the market by early July you’ll be putting yourself at a disadvantage.

Autumn

This has always been a good time to sell a house, although it’s not as good as the January to July period.

It should be noted that nobody wants to move over Christmas so don’t leave coming to the market too late.

After the second week of November buyers tend to go into hibernation.

Winter

Winter is definitely not the ideal time to sell, and the site actively discourages anyone trying to sell a house towards the end of December.

If you can hold out for the New Year you’ll put your sale in a much better position.

Putting your house on the market a certain day of the week may also give you promising results.

Analysis by Which? Money suggests that properties listed with estate agents at the start of the week can sell more than a month faster than those listed at the weekend.

Why not contact Thomas Brown Estates, your local Orpington Estate agents, for a FREE valuation of your property.