The best time to buy a house in Wisconsin depends on many factors. Things like your priorities and finances affect when the best time is for you to purchase a home.
In this article, we share useful information to help you better understand trends in Wisconsin real estate, such as:
- The most active months for Wisconsin real estate are May, June, July, and August. During these months, more homes are on the market for home buyers to pick from.
- Sale prices for homes in Wisconsin were lowest in January.
- House sale prices are typically highest in June when the weather is nice and kids are done with the school year.
Whether you’re looking for your dream house or the best deal, this article answers questions related to timing the Wisconsin real estate market.

Should You Buy a House in Wisconsin?
This is a very personal decision for each individual and couple to make. What we can tell you is real estate is a great investment, and we’ll also provide data to show the Wisconsin real estate market is still healthy.
According to Redfin, 2,000 more people were searching to migrate to Wisconsin as compared to leaving Wisconsin between November 2023 – January 2024.
Next, let’s see how the 2023 Wisconsin real estate market compares to recent years.
Number of Wisconsin Home Sales in 2023
In 2023, there were 64,430 home sales in Wisconsin compared to 77,981 home sales in 2022. So the real estate market has slowed some in Wisconsin like most U.S. states, but it is overall still strong.
Year | Number of Home Sales | |
2023 | 64,430 | |
2022 | 77,981 | |
2021 | 91,192 | |
2020 | 89,094 | |
2019 | 82,366 |
To compare to the last real estate market ‘crash,’ during 2008, there were only 43,606 home sales in Wisconsin.
Now, let’s look at the price of Wisconsin homes each month and see how the 2023 real estate market compares to recent years.
When do Wisconsin Homes Sell for the Lowest Price?
Looking at 2023 home sales, January is the month when median home prices were the lowest in Wisconsin, followed by February and December. This was the exact same pricing trend for 2022.
When do Wisconsin Homes Sell for the Highest Price?
On the other hand, June, July, and August were the months when home prices were the highest in 2023. In 2022, the median home prices were the highest in June, July, and May.
Wisconsin Median Home Sale Price by Month
Month (2023) | Median Home Sale Price |
January | $250,000 |
February | $260,130 |
March | $272,000 |
April | $282,000 |
May | $294,500 |
June | $304,299 |
July | $300,000 |
August | $300,000 |
September | $292,059 |
October | $280,000 |
November | $279,900 |
December | $270,000 |
This means if you’re solely looking for the lowest price, the frigid winter months may be the best time to buy a house in Wisconsin.
There is not as much competition during the winter, as many home buyers wait for the warmer spring and summer weather to house hunt.
However, it’s important to note there are typically far fewer houses on the market to choose from during Wisconsin winters.
What is the Slowest Month for Real Estate in Wisconsin?
The slowest months for real estate in Wisconsin in 2023 were January, February, and April.
In 2022, the slowest months were February, January, and December.
What is the Busiest Month for Real Estate in Wisconsin?
The busiest months for real estate in Wisconsin were June, August, and July in 2023. This was the same as 2022.
Wisconsin Home Sales by Month
Month (2023) | Number of Home Sales |
January | 3,200 |
February | 3,420 |
March | 4,519 |
April | 4,392 |
May | 5,914 |
June | 7,204 |
July | 6,393 |
August | 7,052 |
September | 6,364 |
October | 6,060 |
November | 5,419 |
December | 4,682 |
So while there are more homes to choose from in the spring and summer months, Wisconsin house buyers face more competition during these months and can expect to pay more for a house.
Hopefully, you have a professional local realtor to help you negotiate and get the best price and terms possible for your next home, no matter what time of year it is.
Have a house to sell? Here’s what it looks like to write an offer on a house before you sell your current home.
Will Home Prices Drop in Wisconsin?
Many house hunters, who are hoping for a good deal, ask us if home prices will drop in Wisconsin.
While we cannot predict the future, the Wisconsin real estate market reports tell us home prices continue to rise year-over-year.
Wisconsin Homes Sold for $20,000 More in 2023 vs 2022
Even though there were fewer home sales in 2023, house prices increased about $20,000 every month compared to 2022.
And Wisconsin homes sold for $24,000 more in 2022 than in 2021.
Wisconsin Homes Sold for $15,000 More in January 2024 vs 2023
In January 2024, homes sold for $15,000 more than January 2023.
Increased mortgage rates has affected some buyers’ ability to buy a home, but there are still more people looking to buy than there are houses on the market, causing the value of Wisconsin land and houses to consistently rise.
Check out these unique tips to make buying a home more affordable.
House Prices in Wisconsin
Month | 2022 Median Home Price | 2023 Median Home Price |
January | $230,450 | $250,000 |
February | $235,000 | $260,000 |
March | $254,900 | $270,000 |
April | $265,000 | $283,000 |
May | $275,000 | $294,500 |
June | $281,000 | $304,299 |
July | $279,000 | $300,000 |
August | $273,500 | $300,000 |
September | $270,000 | $292,059 |
October | $260,000 | $280,000 |
November | $259,900 | $279,900 |
December | $251,000 | $270,000 |
Should You “Time the Market?”
Buyers who have been waiting for cheaper home prices just keep waiting–without any solid proof that home prices will drop. For many, it is leading to feelings of regret and missed opportunities.
This is why we don’t recommend buyers try to “time the market” and wait to buy. Buying and selling at exactly the “right” time financially is virtually impossible to do. If it is done, it’s usually sheer luck.
Instead, we recommend if you find a home you love, or one that will provide a better living situation than you currently have, and you can secure financing to purchase it, move forward with buying the house, no matter what time of year.
Any time of year can be the best time to buy a house.
-Shine Realtors
Waiting longer for those dreamy “lower prices” is costing many house hunters valuable time, money, and missed opportunity.
Financing Help for Wisconsin Home Buyers
If finances are in the way of you buying a home, be sure to check out one of these 7 ways to make homeownership more affordable and connect with a trusted lender.
We’ve experienced time after time that it pays to have a good mortgage lender on your side (literally!)
Good mortgage lenders will:
- teach you how to improve your credit
- help you get the best rate possible
- see if there are any special discount programs you qualify fo
- make buying a home more affordable
- ensure financing doesn’t get in the way of closing
Which Wisconsin Mortgage Lender Do You Recommend?
We put together a list of 12 recommended Wisconsin mortgage lenders who we recommend because they know the industry and we’ve seen them go above and beyond to put clients’ needs first.
We love our clients and want the very best experience for them, so we hope these tips help!
When is the Best Time to Buy a House in Wisconsin?
You may discover your perfect home any time of year, so any time of year can be the best time to buy a house. This is shown in the numbers above that thousands of Wisconsin homes are purchased every month.
Going house-hunting during winter months can lead to lower home prices, but the inventory to pick from is higher during summer months.
Your best bet is to hire a top real estate agent in Wisconsin, one who is familiar with Wisconsin real estate market trends, to help guide you on your unique home-buying journey.
FREE Guide for Wisconsin Home Buyers
We created the Ultimate Guide for Wisconsin Home Buyers completely free as a welcome gift to kick off your home-buying journey!
Need to Sell a House Before You Buy?
If you need to sell your house before buying a new one, you will save yourself tons of stress and time by hiring a real estate agent to sell your house.
Check out these related articles for home buyers and sellers:
- When is the Best Time to Sell a House in Wisconsin?
- FAQs for Wisconsin Home Buyers
- FAQs for Wisconsin Home Sellers
- Good Paint Colors for Selling a House
- How Much Does it Cost to Build a New House in Wisconsin?
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Recent Wisconsin Real Estate Market Reports
For more information about the real estate market in south-central Wisconsin, check out our Quarterly Market Updates for our top 5 south-central Wisconsin counties: