Need to Move? We're Approaching the Best Time to Buy in 2023
- Up to 17% more active listings than at the start of the year
- Savings of more than $15,000 relative to the summer's peak price of $445,000
- Less competition with demand expected to be 18.7% lower than peak buying periods
- None.
Although mortgage rates remain high, the week of Oct. 1, 2023 is expected to offer buyers the best overlap of reduced home prices and competition alongside increased inventory, according to Realtor.com®.
This early-fall period will offer buyers the most favorable moment to buy during the remainder of the year, with more home listings, less competition, and lower prices. This week may offer:
- Up to
17% more active listings than at the start of the year. - Savings of more than
relative to the summer's peak price of$15,000 $445,000 - More time to decide as homes are expected to stay on the market for one week longer than during this year's peak
- Less competition with demand expected to be
18.7% lower than peak buying periods
"Mortgage rates have been more than
Hale added, "For buyers trying to close this fall, saving a search on Realtor.com® can help them stay up to date on homes in their price range without the work of having to refresh or recreate their search."
Since 2018, Realtor.com® has analyzed home prices, inventory, listing views, and time on market, indicators that tend to follow regular seasonal patterns, to determine the best time to buy. Here's how these factors breakdown during this unique window:
Reduced Prices: Historically, an average of
Increased Listings To Choose From: This year, inventory will likely be lower than in years past as hesitant sellers shy away from the market. However, seasonal inventory trends are still expected and project
Less Competition From Other Buyers: Home buyers shopping during the best week to buy can expect less competition from other buyers. This year, we saw a return to some pre-pandemic home shopping trends – with the most views per listing in the spring, and prospective buyers continuing to explore the housing market during the summer months – meaning fewer buyers to compete with this fall. While there may still be more competition than pre-pandemic, buyers can expect demand to be
A More Manageable Timeline: While homes are still spending less time on the market than pre-pandemic, the breakneck pace of the housing market has slowed. During the best time to buy, buyers can spend more time considering their options rather than making quick decisions, and sellers may become more flexible as their listings linger. Historically slowing by
More Fresh Listings: Despite the count of new listings having fallen this year as homeowners hesitate to sell amidst financial concerns tied to record-high mortgage rates, new listing declines have leveled off. Historically, the best week to buy has seen the addition of
Methodology:
Realtor.com analyzed six supply and demand metrics at a national and metropolitan level that follow seasonal patterns, using data for 2018-2022 period (2020 data was omitted due to anomalies caused by the pandemic). Those metrics analyzed include: 1) listing prices, 2) inventory levels, 3) new "fresh" listings, 4) time on market, 5) homebuyer demand (realtor.com views per property) and 6) price reductions. Interest rates, which do not follow seasonal patterns, were not included. To account for 2022 market conditions, estimates reflect typical seasonal patterns layered on top of the most recent 2022 weekly data.
Each week of the year was scored from 0 to 100 based on the number of active listings. A given week scored highly if it had more listings compared to other weeks of the year. The other metrics were scored in the same way, such that each week had six different scores for active listings, new listings, listing prices, days on market, price reductions, and views per property. (In the case of prices, lower prices score higher. Same with views per property).
Each week was then ranked by the average of those scores. The week with the highest composite score was considered the best time to buy. This week represents a balanced view of market conditions favorable for buyers.
About Realtor.com®
Realtor.com® is an open real estate marketplace built for everyone. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate more than 25 years ago. Today, through its website and mobile apps, Realtor.com® is a trusted guide for consumers, empowering more people to find their way home by breaking down barriers, helping them make the right connections, and creating confidence through expert insights and guidance. For professionals, Realtor.com® is a trusted partner for business growth, offering consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. For more information, visit Realtor.com®.
1 The monthly payment to finance
Media contact: press@realtor.com
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SOURCE Realtor.com