Is the Housing Market Favoring Buyers This Summer? What to Know

Estimated reading time: 2.5 minutes

While the beginning of summer typically marks the end of the traditional homebuying season, positive news may make the off-season hot for buyers. Whether you’re just beginning to dip your toes into house hunting or you’re a seasoned buyer; rising inventory, lower listing prices, and more days on the market may be the keys to your success.

Inventory is Rising

Housing inventory, or the count of properties that are actively on the market and listed for sale, is sitting at a 5-year high. This is a factor that CNBC believes is the primary driver behind buyers’ optimism. In May, the United States Census reported the national inventory level was at a 9.8 month supply at the current sales rate. That’s 15% higher than they reported in May, 2024.

The inventory count of homes across the country is used by economic forecasters to better understand how home prices and construction starts impact the overall national market. Generally, when the market has a larger available inventory of homes, listing prices may slow or decline because buyers have more options.

Prices are Slowing

While it’s true that national prices continue to rise, growth has significantly slowed. According to the National Association of Realtors, home price sales dropped 0.5% between April and May. Realtor.com data also reveals that 19% of listings had a price cut this past May, marking the fifth straight month of sellers lowering their asking prices. A Redfin article from late June, 2025 reported that 32 of the 50 most populated cities also recorded a drop in home prices month over month. This is the slowest growth rate since mid-2023.

This is welcome news for potential homebuyers that were waiting for more positive housing market signs. High home prices can affect a person’s down payment percentage and monthly mortgage payment.

Homes on the Market for Longer

There are nearly 500,000 more home sellers than buyers, according to Redfin data. This gap gives potential buyers more opportunities to negotiate a better deal, like the inclusion of seller concessions or choosing a closing date. Homes are also taking longer to sell, according to Realtor.com, with properties spending a median of 54 days on the market before a sale. The longer a home sits on the market, the more opportunity prospective buyers have to submit a backup offer.

What You Can Do as a Homebuyer

Even with a market that favors buyers, it’s important to present your best and most competitive offer to sellers. When you work with both a Real Estate Agent and a Licensed Loan Originator, you can leverage their market expertise to stand out from other buyers. Let’s get you started with a pre-approval before you go house hunting! Contact us today!

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(Sources: National Association of Realtors, Redfin, Realtor.com, U.S. Census, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, CNBC, Calculated Risk)