Home Sales at a 9-Month High: Are Buyers Finally Gaining the Upper Hand?

Home Sales at a 9-Month High: Are Buyers Finally Gaining the Upper Hand?

Home sales hitting a nine-month high feels like a turning point, especially after years defined by frantic bidding wars, razor-thin inventory, and buyers routinely waiving inspections just to stay competitive. But higher sales activity doesn’t automatically mean the market has swung decisively in favor of buyers. What it does signal is a rebalancing—subtle, uneven, and deeply local—where leverage is no longer one-sided.

Over the past several months, more homes have come to market as sellers adjust to the reality that ultra-low mortgage rates are unlikely to return anytime soon. Life events still drive moves—job changes, growing families, downsizing—and that has slowly loosened inventory. At the same time, buyers who sat on the sidelines during peak competition are re-entering, motivated by the belief that prices have stabilized and that negotiation is finally back on the table. This combination is pushing transaction volume higher even as affordability remains strained.

For buyers, the biggest shift isn’t dramatic price drops but improved terms. Homes are staying on the market longer, which changes the psychology of negotiations. Instead of rushing to submit an offer within hours, buyers have time to compare properties, request disclosures, and reintroduce contingencies that vanished during the seller-dominated frenzy. Inspection credits, seller-paid closing costs, and mortgage rate buydowns are becoming more common, especially on listings that linger past the first few weeks. In many markets, sellers are discovering that pricing aggressively high no longer works; the first price cut often attracts the most serious interest.

Sellers, however, still retain leverage in well-priced, move-in-ready homes located in desirable school districts or close to job centers. These properties continue to draw multiple offers, reminding buyers that demand hasn’t disappeared—it has simply become more selective. The difference now is that buyers are pushing back. Rather than automatically escalating offers, they are holding firm on price or negotiating repairs, confident there will be another option if a deal falls apart.

Pricing strategy has become the defining factor. Sellers who anchor to peak-market valuations often face longer listing times and incremental reductions that ultimately net less than a realistic price from the start. Buyers, armed with recent comparable sales rather than year-old highs, are better positioned to justify their offers. According to data tracked by organizations like , the gap between list prices and final sale prices has narrowed, a classic sign of a market moving toward balance.

Interest rates remain the wildcard. While rates are higher than the historic lows of recent years, many buyers are accepting them as the new normal and focusing on refinancing opportunities down the road. This mindset shift has reduced the “wait and see” paralysis that dominated earlier in the year. Sellers, in response, are increasingly using financial incentives to offset rate pressure rather than cutting prices outright, a tactic that preserves neighborhood comps while still making deals work.

So, are buyers finally getting leverage? The answer is yes—but with an asterisk. Leverage today looks less like dramatic discounts and more like restored choice and negotiating power. Buyers can walk away, ask questions, and structure offers that protect their interests. Sellers can still command strong prices if they align with market realities, but the days of effortless bidding wars are largely behind us.

As home sales reach this nine-month high, the market is telling a nuanced story. Momentum is back, confidence is improving, and the relationship between buyers and sellers is evolving into something healthier and more sustainable. For anyone entering the market now, success depends less on timing a perfect swing and more on understanding this new balance—where preparation, pricing, and patience matter more than sheer speed.