Selling Your Home This Year? Here's My Exact Timeline
By Emily Sachs Wong, Broker, @properties Christie's International Real Estate
It's the first week of November, and the holidays are less than two months away. If you've been thinking about selling this year, the window is still open, but it won't stay that way for long. Here's the timeline I walk my clients through, working backward from the end of the year.
Why sell now, not in January?
Many sellers assume the holidays are a dead zone and wait until spring. In my experience, that's not the whole story.
Buyers in the market now are serious. People shopping in November and December usually have a reason: a known bonus, a job relocation, a school-year move, a year-end tax consideration, or simply a life change that won't wait. They tend to be motivated and ready to act. The other big thing to know is that many buyers have been looking since spring and didn't find anything. They are ready.
Competition from other sellers drops. Fewer homes come to market over the holidays, so a well-prepared home in Lincoln Park, Lakeview or Gold Coast stands out more than it would in a crowded spring market.
You control the calendar. If you want to close before the end of the year, or move before the holidays, working backward from your date is the only way to make it happen.
That said, this approach isn't right for everyone, and I'll tell you honestly if waiting makes more sense for your home and your goals.
The Timeline
Here's how I map out a sale when the goal is to be done by year-end. Every home is different, so treat this as a framework, not a guarantee.
Week 1 (this week): Strategy and pricing.
We meet, walk the home, and I show you what comparable homes have sold for and what's competing with yours right now. We settle on a pricing strategy and a realistic target closing date, and we decide what's worth doing before we list.
Weeks 1–2: Prep.
This is where small fixes make a big difference: decluttering, touch-up paint, deep cleaning, minor repairs, and any staging we agree on. I'll tell you which updates are worth your money and which aren't. Not every project pays you back, and I'd rather you skip the ones that won't.
Week 2–3: Photography and marketing.
Professional photography, video, floor plans, and the full marketing launch. In the winter, light matters even more, so we schedule shoots for the best time of day and make the most of the home's warm, inviting feel.
Week 3: Launch.
We go to market, with private previews and showings lined up for the first days, when buyer attention is highest. If an off-market or coming-soon strategy makes sense for your home, this is when we use it.
Weeks 3–5: Showings and offers.
We review offers together, looking at price, financing strength, contingencies, and timing, not just the top number. The best offer has many details.
Weeks 5–9: Under contract to closing.
Once you accept an offer, there's attorney review, inspection, appraisal, and financing to get through before closing. A closing typically takes about 30 to 60 days from an accepted offer, which is why working backward from your target date matters so much. If you want to pre sell for spring-we can use this option too.
The key date to remember
If your goal is to close by the end of the year, the real deadline isn't December 31. It's the date you need to be under contract. Count back roughly 30 to 60 days from your target closing, and that's when you need an accepted offer. For many sellers, that means listing in the next few weeks, not the next few months.
Questions I get from sellers this time of year
"Should I wait until spring?"
Sometimes, yes. If your home needs significant work, or your timeline is flexible, spring may serve you better. But waiting isn't automatically the safer choice, and we should look at the numbers for your home before deciding.
"Will my home show well in winter?"
Often better than people expect. A well-lit, warm, well-staged home in the colder months can feel especially inviting. Most importantly, in Chicago, most buyers are looking in the spring as personal lives aren't as busy and buyers want to be in for summer.
"What about the holidays themselves?"
We plan around them. I'll work with you to schedule showings around the days that matter to you, so selling doesn't take over your holidays. If you have decor-we make it work!
The bottom line
If selling this year is on your mind, the best time to start the conversation is now. Even if you decide to wait, you'll walk away knowing exactly what your home is worth and what your options are.
Let's talk this week. I'll walk your home, give you an honest read on the market, and build a timeline that works for you.
— Emily Sachs Wong
