Should You Sell Your North Shore Home This Winter or Wait for Spring?

I often hear the same question from homeowners when November hits. It doesn’t matter if they live in Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook and Glenview, it’s always the same question: "Should I list now, or wait until spring?"

It's a fair question. Spring has the reputation to be the best selling season, and for good reason. More homes come on the market and more buyers start searching. But that only tells half the story. When more sellers list, buyers have more choices, and your home has more competition.

The right answer depends on your home, your timeline and your next move. Here is what the local data shows, and how to decide.

The Short Answer

The decision to sell now or wait for spring depends on what matters most to you. Last spring delivered strong results. In Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook and Glenview, homes went under contract faster and sold closer to, or above, their original list price than they did last winter. Winter offered something different.  Last winter we saw roughly half as many competing listings each month.

If your home is ready and your timing calls for a move now, winter can work well, because fewer homes are competing for buyers' attention. If you want the strongest market conditions and your home shows its best in warmer months, last year's data favors spring.

What Last Winter and Spring Looked Like

To answer this, I compared last winter (November 2025 through February 2026) with last spring (March through May 2026) using MRED InfoSparks data for single-family homes.

Percent of original list price received is the average of each month's median. Contracts per new listing = total homes under contract divided by total new listings for the season. Under-contract figures are approximate.

Source: MRED InfoSparks, monthly data for single-family homes, as of November 1, 2026. October 2026 figures may be adjusted as additional October closings are recorded during the first week or so of November.

Winter Had Roughly Half the Competition

Last winter, Highland Park averaged 35 new listings per month, compared with 71 per month in spring. The pattern held in all four towns: Deerfield averaged 26 versus 56, Northbrook 49 versus 90, and Glenview 47 versus 89. November and December were the quietest months for new listings in every town.

Fewer listings means a buyer touring homes in January has a shorter list to choose from. Your home has a better chance of standing out.

But Buyers Increased in Spring, Too

Buyer activity rose right along with inventory. Highland Park averaged about 28 homes under contract per month in winter and 54 in spring. Comparing contracts to new listings shows how the two balanced out: winter came out slightly ahead in Highland Park (0.79 versus 0.76), Deerfield (0.83 versus 0.72) and Glenview (0.80 versus 0.74), while spring came out slightly ahead in Northbrook (0.71 versus 0.67). In other words, buyers and sellers rose and fell together

Spring Sold Faster and Closer to Asking

This is where spring stood out. In all four towns, homes went under contract faster in spring and sold for a higher percentage of their original list price. Highland Park showed the widest gap: homes averaged 99.2% of original list price in winter and 103.3% in spring, including a median of 107.4% in May 2026.

Winter results were still solid. Monthly medians stayed between 97.2% and 100.1% of original list price across the four towns.

Where the Market Stands Right Now

October 2026 data showed a market that varied by town. Compared with October 2025, new listings rose 20.0% in Highland Park, 88.5% in Deerfield and 3.1% in Northbrook, and fell 32.1% in Glenview. The median percent of original list price received was 100.0% in Highland Park and Deerfield, 98.7% in Northbrook and 97.1% in Glenview. October 2026 figures may shift slightly as late-month closings are recorded.

Why Winter Can Work in Your Favor

Less competition. With fewer homes on the market, well-prepared listings get noticed. Buyers who have been waiting for the right home don't have many alternatives to compare against yours.

Motivated buyers. People rarely tour homes in sleet for fun. Winter buyers tend to have a reason to move: a lease ending, a job change, or a home that no longer fits how they live.

A head start on spring. Selling in winter can give you time to plan your next purchase before the spring rush, when you'll be competing with more buyers for the homes you want.

Your home shows well indoors. Warm lighting, a clean entry and a comfortable temperature make a strong impression when it's cold outside.

When Waiting for Spring Makes More Sense

Winter isn't the right call for every seller, and last spring's faster sales and stronger price results are hard to ignore. Spring may be the better choice if:

• Your home needs repairs, painting or updates that will take more than a few weeks
• Your garden, pool, patio or lake views are a big part of your home's appeal
• Your next home, school calendar or move date points to a late spring or summer closing
• You need time to declutter after many years in the house

A rushed listing in January rarely beats a well-prepared listing in April. If you plan to wait, use the winter months to get ready, so you can list early in the season, before most of the competition arrives.

What It Takes to Sell Well in Winter

Winter listings need a little more attention to detail. Here's what I focus on with my sellers:

• Clear, salted walkways, driveway and front steps before every showing
• Bright, warm lighting in every room, with lights on before buyers arrive
• A comfortable indoor temperature and a clean entry for wet boots
• Professional photography planned around daylight, with twilight exteriors where they help
• Holiday decor kept simple, so buyers can see the home
• Pricing based on current local competition, since winter buyers compare carefully
• A plan for showings around the holidays and your own schedule

Pricing matters more than the season. A home priced in line with today's competition will draw serious buyers in any month. A home priced for last spring's market will sit, no matter how good it looks.

If You're Buying and Selling at the Same Time

Many of my clients are moving up or downsizing, which means selling one home and buying another. For them, timing is about more than the listing date.

Selling in winter can give you more room to shop in spring, when more homes are available. And if you can carry both payments for a period of time, buying first can take a lot of stress out of the process, because you're not asking yourself, "If I sell, where am I going to go?" Talk with a lender early about what's realistic for you.

Questions to Ask Before You Decide

Before choosing a listing date, think through these:

1. Is my home ready to show today, or does it need work?
2. When do I need or want to be in my next home?
3. What will my home compete with if I list now versus in April?
4. Do my outdoor spaces carry a lot of my home's value?
5. Am I buying my next home in the same market at the same time?

There's no universal right answer. There is a right answer for your home, and it starts with looking at your street, your price range and your timeline.

The Bottom Line

Spring is the busiest season on the North Shore, and last year it was also the strongest: homes in Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook and Glenview sold faster and closer to, or above, original list price than they did in winter. Winter offered roughly half the competing listings, with buyers who were still active. If your home is ready and your timing points to now, winter can work. If it isn't, use the winter months to prepare so you can list early in the spring season.

If you're weighing a winter or spring sale in Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook, Glenview or nearby, I'm happy to walk you through what's selling in your neighborhood and what timing makes sense for your move. Call or text me at 312-504-7010, or email [email protected].

HELPING YOU MOVE FORWARD®

About the Author

Laurie Field is a Real Estate Advisor with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore and a lifelong Highland Park resident. With more than 10 years of experience and over 75 closed sales totaling almost $60,000,000 in career sales volume, she helps buyers and sellers across the North Shore and northern suburbs make confident, well-planned moves.