Should I sell my house before the holidays or wait for spring? That is the question I hear most right now, and the honest answer is: it depends on why you are selling, not on the calendar alone. In late October 2026, Novato's median single-family price sits essentially flat at about $1.2 million and Petaluma's runs in the high $800,000s to low $900,000s, with both towns holding only about two months of inventory. Those are the conditions that matter. Here is the straight version of what the holidays actually do to the North Bay market.
What the calendar really does in California
The seasonal pattern is clear and it is not subtle. Spring, roughly March through June, is historically California's strongest window: seller premiums in the state peak around 13 percent in May, homes sell faster, and family buyers are out in force before the school year. November sits at the slow end of that cycle, with premiums averaging closer to 9.5 percent, and April is typically the best month of the year for California sellers. If your only goal is top dollar and the fastest sale, spring is the safer bet, and that does not change because you live in Novato or Petaluma.
Why some sellers win in November anyway
The flip side is that November sellers face far less competition. Most homeowners wait for spring, so a well-priced, well-presented home can stand out in a much thinner field. The buyers who are active this time of year are rarely casual: people relocating for work, families facing a job change or a new arrival, investors wanting to close before year-end, and sellers who do not want to carry two mortgages into the new year. If you have a genuine reason to move, waiting for spring can cost you months of double payments and the uncertainty of holding a property through the holidays.
What the local numbers say right now
The local market does not go to sleep in November; it just slows down. Novato's median single-family price was about $1,204,375 over the three months ending September 30, essentially flat year over year across 110 sales, with homes taking a median 25 days to sell. Petaluma's median has been running near $914,000 with roughly 28 days on market and about two months of supply. Those days-on-market numbers will stretch as the holidays approach, which matters if you are on a deadline. But with inventory this thin, a home priced against its actual comparable sales and shown well can still draw a serious buyer in November, just typically fewer of them.
How to decide
- Ask why you are selling first. If you have a real deadline, a relocation, a growing family, or a property you do not want to carry into the new year, list now, price honestly, and treat the quieter market as an advantage.
- If your goal is maximizing price and speed, plan for spring and use the winter to prep: fresh paint, staging, deferred repairs, and professional photos before the March wave.
- Know your number before you commit either way. Order a current value estimate and a quick pre-sale inspection so the holidays do not surprise you in either season.
I have sold homes in every month of the year, and the honest truth is that a well-priced home sells in November while a poorly priced one lingers even in May. If you are weighing the holidays against spring, call or text me at (415) 328-2637, or send a message, and I will pull the real numbers for your home and give you a straight recommendation. Love where you live.
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Written by
Peter Schardt
21 years in real estate, 100+ homes sold, and a lifetime in the North Bay. Sales Associate · 01702383 · California.
