Why Sellers Have It Harder in Today’s Housing Market

On today’s U.S. housing market, the biggest imbalance since 2013 is putting real pressure on sellers: there are roughly 500,000 more sellers than buyers. Homes stay on the market longer, buyers gain leverage, and negotiations change. This article explains what that means and how to act on it.

A Growing Gap Between Sellers and Buyers

The U.S. housing market is going through a noticeable shift: for the first time in more than a decade, the number of homes for sale meaningfully exceeds the number of active buyers. According to Business Wire, there are currently about 500,000 more sellers than buyers nationwide — the largest gap since 2013. This means listings are competing against each other much more intensely. The median time on market has climbed to around 49 days, and in some areas it’s over 60 days.

For sellers, this is not just abstract data — it is a clear signal to reset expectations. The longer a home sits on the market, the more it loses momentum, even if it’s objectively a good property. Buyers, feeling their stronger position, are more likely to negotiate the price, ask for concessions, additional inclusions, or help with closing costs and repairs.

Helpful tip!: Regularly review your local MLS reports on days on market and weekly inventory changes. That data helps you adjust your pricing and marketing strategy early instead of clinging to outdated expectations.

Pricing a Home When Inventory Is Rising

In a market where supply is higher than demand, the right price becomes your main tool. Overpricing almost guarantees that your home will sit. Today’s buyers compare dozens of listings on Zillow, Realtor.com, and local portals, instantly seeing similar properties and price trends.

In 2025–2026, it is especially important to consider:

• buyer activity in your ZIP code over the last 30 days;
• recent closed sales for homes with similar size and condition;
• the gap between list prices and actual sold prices;
• seasonality in your area — in some states fall and winter slow sales dramatically.

Technology helps avoid pricing mistakes. For example, modern real estate websites, including those built by MyRE, can integrate AVM tools, display a pricing range, and keep analytics updated in real time. That makes your conversations with sellers more data-driven and professional, and it helps you explain why a certain list price makes sense in today’s market.

Helpful tip!: Before listing on the MLS, run a “micro-CMA” on three closest sold comparables within about 0.3–0.5 miles. If your home is slightly inferior in condition, your price should be lower. If it’s clearly better, avoid pushing the list price more than 2–3% above the most recent comparable sale.

How Sellers Can Keep Their Listing from Going Stale

When competition among sellers grows, buyers become much more selective. Even minor flaws start to matter: chipped paint, outdated fixtures, tired furniture, poor lighting, or low-quality photos can all push your home to the bottom of a buyer’s shortlist.

Practical steps matter more than ever:

• Micro-repairs: repaint walls, fix doors and faucets, update light fixtures to modern LED;
• Staging: professional staging can increase in-person showings by 20–40% and online views by 60% or more;
• Professional visuals: HDR photography, virtual staging, and 3D tours shape that critical first impression;
• Flexible pricing: if you see minimal activity in the first 14 days, the market is telling you the price is off.

MyRE-powered sites allow agents to showcase video tours, virtual staging, and MLS integration automatically, without any technical skills. That makes your listing stand out against competing properties that still rely on basic photos and minimal information.

Helpful tip!: If your listing isn’t getting the traffic you expected, run a quick audit: refresh your photos, add a short video or 3D tour, and reduce the price by about 1.5–2%. This combination often triggers a new wave of buyer interest.

Buyer Advantages and How to Use Them Wisely

For buyers, the current market is a rare window of opportunity. When there are more sellers than buyers, it becomes easier to:

• ask for a price reduction or stronger concessions such as closing cost credits and repairs;
• take more time to view homes and make a decision;
• consider properties that were previously out of reach;
• negotiate with more confidence and less fear of “missing out.”

Not every local market is feeling the pressure equally. In high-migration states like Florida, Texas, and North Carolina, the excess of sellers may be milder. On parts of the West Coast and in some Northeastern metros, however, days on market are growing much faster than the national average, shifting even more leverage to buyers.

Agents who use modern CRMs, automated searches, and analytics dashboards (all of which can be integrated into a MyRE website) can quickly identify homes with the best terms, keep buyers updated on changes, and react instantly when a good listing drops in price.

Helpful tip!: Advise buyers to move quickly if a strong listing has been on the market for less than seven days — those homes can still go fast. For properties sitting 30 days or longer, feel free to negotiate more aggressively on both price and concessions.

How Both Sides Can Adapt to the New Market

The U.S. market is entering a phase where sellers need more preparation, flexibility, and analytics, while buyers gain a rare advantage: the ability to choose and negotiate. In this environment, the agent becomes the key guide who helps price the home correctly, improve its presentation, build a smart negotiation strategy, and make decisions based on real data rather than guesses.

Technology — automated analytics, up-to-date reports, 3D tours, clean client dashboards — is no longer optional. It is part of what defines a modern real estate service. MyRE gives each agent a professional website that not only represents your brand, but also equips you with tools to work effectively in a changing market. The more you lean on accurate data and clear digital presentation, the easier it is to navigate conditions where the balance between sellers and buyers is shifting.

At MyRE, we know how fast the U.S. real estate market evolves — mortgage rates, buyer behavior, inventory levels, and marketing trends shift every month.
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