Monday Market Update: A Buyer Window of Opportunity Is Almost Here

September is a pivotal time for many reasons – it’s the springboard from summer to fall, the end of hot August nights and the welcoming of cool September mornings and a period where back-to-school has settled down and the holiday rush has not arrived yet. This month also brings a notable window for home buyers – as Realtor.com® identifies an upcoming ‘sweet spot’ from September 27th to October 3rd, 2026. Here’s why: 

Every year, Realtor.com® conducts research and reflects on market conditions year-to-date and projects a ‘best week to buy a home.’ This year’s ‘Best Week’ is expected to be the week of September 27 – October 3, and the following few weeks are anticipated to be almost as favorable. With a balance of market conditions that favor buyers relative to other points in the year, active listings are expected to be up almost 32% compared to the start of the year. Mortgage rates have been dipping below 6% and national, median home prices are slightly lower than their seasonal peaks earlier in the year. Additionally, competition is limited to more serious buyers (the summer rush shoppers are done!). 

Another interesting fact about the ‘best week to buy’ is that historically, the market is 13 days slower than other times in the year. This allows more deliberate decisions, longer negotiation periods and softer demand. ‘Best week’ pricing trends also tend to reflect homes that have been on the market a little longer, with an average of almost 6% of listed homes reducing prices that week. A surge of fresh listings is also expected the week of September 27th as sellers waited for the summer competition to lessen but want to move before the holidays and by end of year. 

In short, the 6 key criteria for determining the ‘best week’ to buy are: 1) listing prices, 2) inventory levels, 3) new “fresh” listings, 4) time on market, 5) homebuyer demand (Realtor.com listing views), and 6) price reductions.

As our readers know well, real estate is deeply personal and hyper-local. Thus, the actual best time to buy for YOU may be different! This map from Realtor.com® suggests how the ‘best week’ to buy varies among the top 50 metros compared to the best national week. Check it out!

Wishing you an optimal month of enjoying the present & planning for year-end,

Bobbi 

Bobbi Decker
DRE#00607999

Broker Associate, Bobbi Decker & Associates
650.346.5352 cell
650.577.3127 efax
www.bobbidecker.com
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