• A new study has identified the time of the year Georgians are keenest to move - and July is the most popular month.

• The study analyzed Google searches around property and rental sites to reveal the best time to put your home on the market or start renting.

• Georgia ranks fifth for residents looking to move home the most.

• An expert shares their advice on the benefits of using a storage unit to make your move run as smoothly as possible.

New research has revealed July is when Georgia residents should list their properties to receive the most interest.

The research, pulled together by online self-storage finder Storage.com analyzed nationwide and regional Google searches for keywords related to real-estate sites - such as Zillow and Trulia - to determine the time of year properties and rentals are most in demand in Georgia.

The added financial pressure caused by the current economic situation might deter some from moving, but for others, it might motivate them to take the plunge - whether this is driven by an urge to get onto the property ladder or because tenants want to find somewhere more affordable.

Whatever the reason, Georgia searches for for-sale and rental listings reached a whopping 17,163,760 by the end of last year, peaking in July with a total of 1,586,610 searches - 10.9% more than the monthly average of 1,430,313 searches.

This indicates sellers and landlords should make any final touches to their properties over the next few months to be ready to list come summertime, as interest could surge again.

Enthusiasm around moving dropped as 2023 came to a close, with searches falling 17.3% below the monthly average in December to 1,182,190. Americans didn't appear eager to change homes in November either, as the month recorded the second-lowest volume at 1,244,570 searches.

This is perhaps because the excitement of the festivities drew attention away from searching for somewhere new to live, suggesting sellers and landlords will have the worst luck if they list during the holiday period.

The next most popular month is January at 1,582,610 searches - 10.6% above the monthly average - followed by March at 1,571,750, so owners may have already missed two prime times unless they are ready to advertise their properties now.

As well as analyzing nationwide Google searches, the study looked at it on a regional level to identify the states where sellers and landlords are most likely to find potential buyers and renters, with Georgia proving to be the fifth most eager to relocate this year.

The state averaged 13,107 searches per 100k residents, which is 10% higher than the national average of 11,869 (per 100k residents).

Commenting on the findings, Chuck Gordon, CEO of Storable, the parent company of Storage.com, says: “If the trend observed last year repeats itself, prospective homeowners are going to increase their research for potential homes in July, so there’s only a few months for sellers and landlords to get their properties up to scratch and capitalize on the demand.  

“Finding the right place to live can seem like the biggest challenge of the process at the time, however, it’s only the first hurdle. While it’s near impossible to remove all stress from a move, beginning packing as soon as things are in motion can seriously ease the headache. 

“You’ll be surprised how quickly time can creep up on you, and suddenly, you still have most of your house to pack. However, it can take weeks upon weeks before you receive a moving date, sometimes even months, and living among boxes can add to the sense of chaos. If you can, use a storage unit to hold non-essential items.