03/18/2026
Are we finally in a buyer's market? The inventory numbers make a compelling argument, but what is actually playing out at the ground level is far more nuanced than a simple yes or no answer.
Inventory is up massively compared to just a few years ago and there are significantly more sellers than motivated buyers nationwide right now. You would expect prices to be dropping fast. But instead of cutting their asking price, a large number of sellers are simply pulling their listings and waiting. They are not in a desperate position. They just wanted to sell at their number, and when buyers will not meet it they choose to walk away rather than negotiate. The result is an extended standoff where homes sit longer, buyers grow increasingly cautious, and neither side is willing to make the first concession.
Here is the most honest answer available. In terms of leverage, yes this is absolutely a buyer's market right now. In terms of headline prices, not fully, because sellers are actively protecting the equity they built during the pandemic years. The real discounts are not appearing in the list price at all. They are hiding in seller credits, closing cost contributions, rate buydowns, and repair concessions on properties that have been sitting the longest without any movement or accepted offer.
The longer a listing has been on the market without a price cut, the more negotiating power you hold at that table. Comment "STALE" and I will tell you the exact signs a listing is quietly desperate even when the asking price has not moved at all.
