Fall and Winter Bring Strong Home Shopping Opportunities
The home shopping season extends beyond spring into fall and winter, offering buyers potentially better deals due to increased inventory and more flexible pricing from builders aiming to meet year-end financial goals. According to Ali Wolf of NewHomeSource and Zonda, many people buy homes based on life changes rather than seasonal trends. With mortgage rates higher, demand has softened, prompting 85% of builders in a recent survey to report slower-than-expected sales in September. Builders are responding by offering incentives such as mortgage rate buydowns or price cuts—twice as common in September compared to May. Quick move-in homes, already built or nearly finished, become more available toward year-end as developers seek faster turnover and meet financial targets. New home listings remain steady throughout the year, unlike existing homes which follow a cyclical pattern. Pricing trends also favor buyers late in the year; new homes sold for 4.8% below list price on average in December compared to just 2.8% in June. A slower sales pace at year-end may lead builders to offer more incentives, giving prepared buyers stronger negotiation leverage.
Topics: builder incentives home buying season mortgage rates real estate