If you’re trying to find the “best deal” in today’s market, it’s easy to get distracted by noise. Off-market listings. Waiting for the next perfect home. Timing the market just right. In reality, the strongest opportunities right now aren’t coming from speed or secrecy. They’re coming from patience, positioning, and a clear understanding of seller behavior. One of the most overlooked opportunities today is homes that have been sitting on the market longer than expected.
Why Time on Market Matters: When a home first comes to market, sellers are often anchored to hope. Hope that demand will be strong. Hope that buyers will see the home the same way they do. Hope that the first price will work. As time passes, something shifts. Showings slow. Feedback accumulates. The market starts providing information instead of possibility. Sellers begin to recalibrate. Not out of desperation, but out of realism.
We saw this play out very clearly this week. We opened escrow for a buyer on a home that had been listed at its current price for nearly three months. Before that, it had been listed at an even higher price for another two and a half months. Our negotiations with the seller went six rounds and stretched over more than a week. In 2021, a buyer who wrote an offer below the list price would likely never hear back. Today, those conversations are not only happening, they’re productive.
That shift is where opportunity lives.
According to Realtor.com, roughly one in five homes has had at least one price reduction this year. That tells us something important. Across all markets, sellers are adjusting expectations, and with that adjustment often comes flexibility. Not panic. Flexibility.
The Strategy Isn’t Pressure. It’s Positioning. Homes that have been on the market longer tend to come with fewer competing buyers. That alone changes the dynamic. Fewer bidding wars. More room for conversation. More space to structure terms that actually work for you. This is where experienced guidance matters. A good agent doesn’t simply look at days on market and push for a discount. They look at why a home hasn’t sold. Is it pricing? Presentation? Timing? Location? Seller expectations? Those details determine whether there is real opportunity or just surface-level appeal. And when opportunity is real, it often shows up beyond price, with closing cost credits, repair allowances, and flexible timelines. These are the quiet wins that don’t make headlines but materially impact the quality of the purchase.
A Word of Caution About “Deals”: Not every discounted home is a good long-term decision. Some properties sit because they have permanent drawbacks: Busy streets. Awkward layouts. Proximity to commercial uses. Those homes can feel like a win today but will become a challenge when you sell later. In luxury real estate especially, location and livability matter more than the initial discount. A deal that will create friction for the next buyer is rarely a true deal. Our role is to help you distinguish between a home that is mispriced and one that is fundamentally compromised.
The Bigger Picture: The best opportunities right now are going to buyers who are informed, patient, and emotionally grounded. Not rushed. Not reactive. Not chasing the idea of a deal for its own sake. When you understand the psychology of sellers, the rhythm of the market, and the long-term implications of your decisions, you don’t need to force outcomes. You will recognize them when they appear.
The Bottom Line: If you’re looking to buy and want guidance rooted in clarity rather than urgency, that’s how we work. We help buyers identify real opportunity, negotiate thoughtfully, and avoid decisions that feel good today but create regret later.
Because the best deal isn’t just about paying less. It’s about buying well. And in real estate, smart money is made when you buy right, not when you sell.
Peter and Tregg
