The Balance of Power in Housing Is Shifting: What 500,000 More Sellers Than Buyers Means
Below is a summarized MSN.com article you can find here.
The U.S. housing market is undergoing one of its biggest shifts in years—and this time, buyers are finally regaining the upper hand. According to Redfin’s latest analysis, there are nearly 500,000 more home sellers than buyers nationwide, marking a dramatic change from the bidding wars and lightning-fast sales of just a few years ago.
The Numbers Behind the Shift
As of April 2025, there were about 1.9 million active sellers compared with 1.5 million buyers. That’s a 34% gap, and it’s giving buyers leverage we haven’t seen since before the pandemic. With more options on the market, the urgency and fear of missing out are fading, and sellers are being forced to compete harder for attention.
Where Buyers Hold the Advantage
Some markets have swung sharply in favor of buyers.
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Miami now has nearly three sellers for every one buyer.
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Sunbelt metros like Austin, Phoenix, Tampa, and Atlanta are seeing similar trends, with homes lingering longer and price reductions becoming common.
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Even in more balanced markets like St. Louis, inventory has caught up enough that bidding wars are rare.
Pockets of Seller Strength
Not every region tells the same story.
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Newark, NJ still has about 47% more buyers than sellers.
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Boston also leans slightly toward sellers this spring, with demand staying relatively strong despite higher prices.
This patchwork highlights how local dynamics—jobs, affordability, and inventory—still drive conditions on the ground.
What It Means for Prices
With more homes than buyers, price growth is cooling. Redfin projects a 1% decline in U.S. home prices by year-end 2025. Sellers are increasingly resorting to price cuts, buyer incentives, and extended listing times. Homes selling above asking price are becoming the exception, not the rule.
Takeaways
For buyers, this is a rare opportunity to negotiate, shop patiently, and push for better terms. For sellers, the lesson is clear: pricing realistically matters more than ever. The market is no longer forgiving of overpricing, and flexibility will determine who closes a deal—and who’s left waiting.
Weitz Commercial take:
Similar trends are occurring in the Seattle area (specifically King County and Snohomish).
For instance, Snohomish County, according to the NWMLS has increased to 2136 from 1391 a year ago (July, 2024). Now granted, summer typically sees an increase in inventory, but those type of year over year (YOY) figures are worth noting and a bit alarming in our opinion.
The next 3-6 months will be truly interesting and likely provide a clearly picture of where this market is heading.
For more information on Snohomish County Commercial Real Estate, feel free to contact us:
Weitz Commerical
108 Union St
Snohomish, WA
Scott@Weitzcommercial.com
Text: 206.306.4034
