Act Now in Chicago, But Wait in Miami? The Best Time to Buy a Home In Each Major US City

Prospective homebuyers waiting for the right time to make an offer, get ready: The peak buying window is coming in cities across the U.S., according to a new report from Realtor.com. In some places, the “Best Week” to buy is already here.

Early fall is considered an optimal time for homebuyers because prices have typically dropped from summer highs but there are still an abundance of homes on the market, the report said. (Prices historically continue to fall in the winter months as well, but fewer homes are on the market.)

Realtor.com recently named Oct. 12-18 as the best week to buy a home in the U.S. overall, but found not all markets are created equal. Chicago homebuyers, for instance, are in the ideal buying window this week, while buyers in Miami would be better off waiting until early December.

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Why the ‘Best Week’ Varies

Nationally, Realtor.com estimates that the third week in October may have nearly a third more active home listings than the start of 2025. Meanwhile, the median home price is expected to be down more than $15,000 from a high of $439,450 this summer.

Still, factors like when the school year begins and how soon temperatures get colder can push the best week to buy in one direction or the other. That’s according to Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com.

“In the New York metro, for example, the local ‘Best Week’ typically comes a bit earlier than the national benchmark,” Jones said. “Still, the top five weeks to buy in NYC all fall between mid-September and mid-October, including the national ‘Best Week.’ This consistency highlights that, while the precise week may vary by market, early fall is generally a favorable time to buy in much of the country.”

If there’s an exception to that rule, it’s Florida, Jones said. Buyers there tend to be older, so the start of school is less of a consideration, and its relatively warm winters mean inventory doesn’t tend to shrink as much as it does in colder cities.

The Housing Market Has Been Stuck in Neutral

A strong buying window could be a welcome reprieve for a housing market that has been dogged by a combination of high prices and stubborn mortgage rates. The 30-year fixed rate has held steady between 6% and 7% all year, and it isn’t expected to fall below 6% until the end of 2026, according to Fannie Mae.

The result is a housing market that has been “stalled at unaffordable levels,” according to Kevin Khang, Vanguard Senior International Economist, and Brian Kim, Vanguard Co-Head of High Yield Research.

“Demand has weakened as mortgage rates have surged, while supply remains constrained as existing homeowners cling to low-rate mortgages, they said. “The result is a dormant market—too expensive for new buyers and too illiquid for sellers.”

The Bottom Line

Early fall has historically been a good time of year to buy a home, and Realtor.com recently named Oct. 12-18 as the “Best Week” of 2025. However, certain U.S. cities are expected to see the market peak for buyers slightly earlier or later in the year, depending on factors like average temperature and the school calendar.