Market Minute · September 2026
Why Now? Buyers Gain More Leverage As The Housing Market Shifts
Market View: Buyers Gain More Leverage As The Housing Market Shifts
The housing market is showing a noticeable shift toward buyers as the number of homes for sale continues to outpace demand. As of August, sellers outnumbered buyers by 58%, the largest gap in more than a decade, giving buyers more choices and negotiating power. Sellers are responding with more realistic asking prices, closing-cost assistance and other incentives.
The median listing price this summer was 2.4% lower than last July, but with fewer price cuts, because many sellers are pricing more realistically.
Cash Buyer? This Is Your Time.
It is always your time, but timing is everything, right? This is the best time.
Affordability: mortgage rates moved above 7% this week, the first time in more than a year. Still, with increased inventory, buyers can be more selective and may have more room to negotiate, particularly those with cash on hand.
More Sellers Offer Concessions To Attract Buyers
44.7% of home sales from June through August included a seller concession, up from 42.6% a year earlier and the highest summer period since 2020. Concessions mean closing-cost assistance, repairs, or mortgage-rate buydowns, all separate from or in addition to lowering the home price. 15% of buyers this summer got both a concession and a price reduction.
This trend is especially strong in markets where sellers significantly outnumber buyers. In Atlanta, Phoenix and Charlotte, concession rates are around 70%.
This is good news, particularly for the buyer relocating from the West Coast with cash on hand, or downsizing from that big house to something more manageable. Your time is now.
Market figures reflect national housing reports at the time of writing, September 2026. Individual results vary by home and neighborhood.