When is the best time to buy?

The best week to buy? The week of Jan. 14, according to a realtor.com^® analysis.

That’s across the U.S. The report also analyzed large metros in the country, and found that in Pennsylvania metros, the dates vary a bit. In the greater Philadelphia area, the week of Oct. 28 is best for buyers, while in the Pittsburgh area, it’s the week of Sept. 23.  In Pittsburgh, during that week, demand is down 1.3 percent. In Philadelphia, demand is down 3.5 percent during the last week in October.

“Historically, buyers are likely to see more balanced conditions early in the fall, with a sweet spot of relatively less competition, higher inventory and stable prices,” said Nicolas Bedo, economic research analyst for realtor.com^®.

The report also found that online home searches ramp up after the New Year, and hit their peak in March. Thus, buyers would be best off to begin their search in the fall, and close on their homes before the New Year. The report found that buyers in the first week of fall have 10 percent less competition, based on realtor.com^® traffic.

Additionally, inventory moves faster, at a rate of 24 percent in the fall, but is slower than the top-moving months. The report found that buyers who are looking during autumn have a 94 percent higher likelihood of paying less than asking price.

Also, inventory is typically higher, there are 18 percent more homes on the market, and of those homes on the market, most haven’t been listed for too long. In the fall, listings are 88 percent more fresh.