Slowly you overeat and suddenly you are fat. Slowly you drift apart and suddenly you are divorced. I’ll let you come up with your own slowly and suddenly from here, but the point is clear.
So, I’ve been watching our number of homes on the market for sale. In the biz, we call this the inventory and it is a very telling number. Here is what’s been happening:
In 2021, Homes for Sale averaged 6,000 to 8,000 and we were in a Seller’s market. Buyers were competing for each house. Some buyers couldn’t win.
In 2022, Homes for Sale rose slowly to 16,000 to 18,000 and suddenly we were in a balanced market. Sellers could still get their price and buyers could now negotiate.
In 2023, we poked along with 16,000 Homes for Sale. It was a flat, but balanced, market.
In 2024, we saw inventory rise slowly to 22,000 Homes for Sale. Still balanced, but also a bit of a challenge for some sellers.
In 2025, we have seen inventory grow to 25,000 Homes for Sale so far. That is a thousand additional homes every month.
Remember, that is a thousand “net”. Which means that if 6,000 homes sell, then 7,000 new listings come on the market.
If this trend continues through summer, inventory could reach 30,000 homes and “suddenly” we will be in a Buyer’s market.
What does this mean to you? It means that if you are a buyer, you will have lots of options and can offer less than asking. If you are a seller, you will struggle to get sold, unless you negotiate the price, come down, spruce up, paint, carpet, tile, or otherwise spend money to sell. You will certainly need a strong agent, Aunt Sally won’t have the tools, who can promote your home to stand out in a sea of listings. You will need a negotiator who has seen this all before.
Oh, you’ll need me.
I’ve sold more than 7,000 homes over the last 29 years. I can get you sold.
Please call or text my 24/7 cell phone at 602-796-5751 and we will have a talk.
– Joseph