How Savvy Buyers Are Scoring the Best Deals in Today’s Market

If you want to find the best deal possible in today’s housing market, there’s one strategy rising above the rest: focus on homes that have been on the market a little longer. When a listing lingers, sellers tend to get more realistic and more open to negotiation. That’s exactly where today’s smartest buyers are finding opportunities others overlook.

The Market Is Full of Price Drops

According to Realtor.com, 1 in 5 homes (20.2%) has had at least one price cut this year and that trend is consistent across the country. What does that tell you? No matter where you live, there’s room to find a better deal. You just need to know where to look and that’s where working with an experienced agent becomes essential.

Why “Longer on the Market” = More Leverage

Your agent can pinpoint which homes have been sitting the longest. These sellers may be frustrated or ready to move on, making them more willing to negotiate. And with fewer buyers competing for those homes, you may end up being their only offer, which puts you in a stronger position.

Realtor.com puts it perfectly:
“Less competition means fewer bidding wars and more power to negotiate the extras that add up: closing cost credits, home warranties, even repair concessions … these concessions can end up knocking thousands of dollars off the price of a home.”

Even paying 94% of the original list price may not seem dramatic, but on the median-priced home, that’s roughly $24,000 in savings. And that’s before factoring in potential seller concessions that could reduce your out-of-pocket costs even more.

Ready to Find the Opportunities Others Are Missing?

If your goal is to stretch your dollars as far as possible, homes that have been sitting a bit longer may be your best path to savings especially right now, as sellers grow more flexible and price cuts become more common.

A local Seven Gables agent can help you identify these opportunities and negotiate confidently. We’re here to help you start your search with clarity and a smart strategy.