In the words of William Shakespeare:
"There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so." 

When your thoughts take you to wanting and/or needing a different living arrangement... that is the best time. 

When it is right for the buyers.  Earlier this year I had past clients looking to move back to San Jose.  They found their selves competing in a hot and wildly crazy seller market.  Homes that were "market value" of $900,000 were selling for $1.1 then 1.2 then 1.3 and 1.4M month over month.  They have the money but were smart enough to pull out and wait.  They are back in the market now as those homes are now selling for $900 to $1.1M. Now is a much better time for them.  

The short answer is it depends on the buyer.

Our res market IS seasonal and DOES need to be timed. The timing is different for a buyer than a seller.
CRE ALSO requires timing. For reasons including / not limited to . . .

Whatever season it is, that's the season to buy or sell.

Spring- everyone's doing it!

Summer- Best time of the year!.

Fall- better get it done before Winter

Winter- No competition for hard to sell homes & great time to get a good buy for buyers! 

Buy, Sell 24-7/365

  Tell me what you are trying to achieve.

Richie, it depends on the person buying or selling.  There are many factors that come into making this type of decision.

I've successfully sold homes at every time of the year, even when others would say it's not a good time to sell. There are always buyers... it's the pricing and marketing that makes the difference.

I answer with: It depends on your reason to buy/sell Richie Alan Naggar 

Do you need to sell? Then it's time!

If you need to buy, now is a good time!

my approach is always the simple but direct answer.... every day of the year is a good day to sell.... there are always buyers looking every day!

Richie,

It is always the right time for someone.  A

Agree with Barbara Todaro and Nina Hollander!

The best time is when the purchaser is ready.

Smart consumers want to take advantage of the current very attractive mortgage interest rates.

When the time is right for a seller to move on and Now is a sellers market in our area.

Buyers is when they make a decision to finally Own verses Renting. When financially able to do so.

Best time is right now. It's always right now if you desire or need to sell

Best Time to Sell:  When the home's useful life no longer meets your needs and / or its financial burdens cause you to feel uneasy about your future.

Best Time to Buy:  When you wish to gain leverage on your livelihood is an excellent place to begin. Save for that 20% down and NEVER pay mortgage insurance for starters. How much interest can you earn on a one-time $50,000 bank deposit each year? Instead use that for a down payment on a $250,000 home. If we can agree that home values have appreciated annually between 3% and 5% on average since 1980 lets proceed. Using just 3% as an example, in one year your home will be worth $257,500. Your bank would have to offer 15% interest to get that type of return. Ten years later that same home should have at least a $327,000 value. FYI - The actual annual appreciation was between 5.7% and 6.4% from 1971 through 2009 I believe.

NOTE:  PITI aka principal, interest, taxes & insurance are $1,509 per month and remain fairly close to that number throughout ownership. Whenever you rent (and I doubt you could find a comparable residence) you are probably going to pay much more than that monthly and in another decade who knows where it could be.

Not prioritizing home-ownership is the biggest mistake anyone can make! 

I guess, depends of the area. 

In Florida - whole year around.

When the buyer or seller is ready, willing and able.  Not before.

When you need a home and are prepared to buy.  (Unless there is something unusual going on like rates suddenly jumped up to 13%.)

I might respond with something like, "Anytime is the best time, if it's the right time for the seller...tell me more about what prompted this question."  - 

In Florida, attempting to 'time the market' is folly.

However, the type of real estate may benefit. For example homes with 3+ bedrooms are best made available during the summer buying season.  The ratio of listed/sold however, although statistically measurable, is not relevant in the big fog of why people do what they do regarding real estate.

My response to the 'when' question is "Do you know where you want to go?" Their response to that question is the measure of their motivation.

When you're ready, I'll get it done for you - winter, spring, summer or fall!

The answer to your question so often depends on the life circumstance of the parties involved.

It's likely to be followed by a question. 

I love Kathleen Daniels  answer but it works both ways for buyers and sellers.  What the market wll do in 2019 is pur conjecture at this pont.  Hind sight is 20-20. 

To buy: 10 years ago.

To sell: now!

Best time to buy: Last year.

Best time to sell: Now!

It's always a good time to buy or sell or real estate.

I help people make smart decisions when buying or selling real estate. Let's analyze your situation and decide what's right for you.

As with most things in life, no time like the present.

If the right deal is there then anytime.

Depends on the house and the market.  Right now we have lots of buyers and thin inventory.  Five years ago we were heavy with inventory and spring might be have the best option.  But my broker says to people... "well one thing is for sure, no one will buy it if it's not on the market"

when one is ready .....

Spring.

Best time when sellers are ready to sell!

It is a good time, when you are ready! 

Anytime is the perfect time to to sell!

When the buyer/Seller is ready is more important than the market.  I discuss the current state, and how that may affect the process, but the client trying to time things outside of their control is in for unpleasant surprises. 

The best time to buy and sell is when you are ready

My favorite answer that people hate to hear is, "it depends."

- Depends on the sellers situation (is it s distress sale, then the time is right for them)

- For buyers, it can depend on the market. Is it in decline? Perhaps renting is a good idea?

The answer is when they are ready. I give them the pros of selling now no matter the season. 

The best time to sell is when you and the house are both ready.

Best time to buy when you find the right house for you!

Let’s have a discussion. You never know what the market will do or what the seller or buyer may want or when they want it

I tell my clients who ask that, because you can't time any market, it's best to sell when you are ready to sell.

Depends on who is asking and how. :)