This Is the Best Day of the Week to Browse New Home Listings
Don't let the perfect listing slip right past you.
Troov
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
Anyone on the hunt for a new home knows how quick the turnaround can be on a listing. I’m currently looking to rent an apartment in New York City, and know well the pain of seeing a dream listing get posted in the morning and snagged by someone (presumably wealthier and faster than I) within a few hours.
You might not be able to control the time of year you need to move, but you can control how you time your search for specific listings. If you want to optimize your house or apartment hunt, you need to know the best times to look for new listings.
When to search new house and apartment listings
Let's do a little reverse-engineering here. In order to figure out the best time to search for new listings as a buyer, I researched when sellers are advised to post their listings. The general consensus: Thursday is the day to look for listings.
That’s because sites like Zillow advise landlords that Thursday is the best day to list, because most renters want to tour rental properties as soon as they can, and most of them have more availability during the weekend.
Brett Johnson, owner of New Era Home Buyers, confirms that Thursday is the day most real estate agents will start listing a home in order to prepare for Saturday and Sunday. Johnson suggests serious shoppers review Thursday's morning offerings so they can schedule private viewings before the start of the open houses: "Waiting until the weekend to start viewing homes means you’re already behind—by then, sellers may have multiple offers in hand."
When it comes to the best time of day to browse listings, you similarly can strategize around the typical workday. Assume that property managers and agents start posting new listings at the start of their days, around 9-10 a.m.
Give yourself plenty of time before your move-in date
Start your home search around 60 days before your desired move-in date: Most landlords and property managers list their rentals 30-60 days before they become available, so looking at this time gives you access to the freshest inventory.
With this window, you'll have enough lead time to schedule viewings, submit applications, and handle paperwork without feeling rushed. Plus, you can still take advantage of any early-bird specials or pre-leasing incentives that properties might offer. This timeline also allows flexibility to expand your search if your first-choice neighborhoods don't have quite what you're looking for.
The bottom line
The rapid turnarounds of a competitive market mean that your new home search could feel extra chaotic. We can’t assume that sites like Zillow or StreetEasy will exclusively post the best, freshest listings at 9 a.m. every Thursday morning. The silver lining of a fast turnaround and competitive market, though: Plenty of dream listings also could (and do) go out any time of the day. Rather than torture yourself by hitting “refresh” over and over, consider investing in a real estate agent who can devote their time to finding you the best listings as soon as they appear. You should also look into our guide to off-market listings, so you can get in early and make an offer before everyone swoops in to snag your dream home out from under you.
Meredith Dietz
Senior Finance Writer
Meredith Dietz is Lifehacker’s Senior Finance Writer. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Communications from Northeastern University, where she graduated as valedictorian of her college. She grew up waitressing in her family restaurant in Wilmington, DE and worked at Hasbro Games, where she wrote rules for new games. Previously, she worked in the non-profit space as a Leadership Resident with the Harpswell Foundation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; later, she was a travel coordinator for a study abroad program that traced the rise of fascist propaganda across Western Europe.
Since then, Meredith has been driven to make personal finance accessible and address taboos of talking openly about money, including debt, investing, and saving for retirement. Outside of finance writing, Meredith is a marathon runner and stand-up comedian who has been a regular contributor to The Onion and Reductress. Meredith lives in Brooklyn, NY.
