The U.S. housing market is shifting further in buyers’ favor, with sellers now outnumbering active buyers by nearly 500,000 homes. According to Redfin, almost 80% of the major metros it tracked were considered buyer’s markets in July, giving buyers more room to negotiate on price, repairs, closing costs, and other concessions. High mortgage rates and economic uncertainty are keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines, while available inventory continues to compete for fewer buyers.
For investors, the added negotiating power could create opportunities, but a good purchase price still needs to be backed by strong local rental demand and realistic operating costs.