09/07/2026
US Office Crisis Spurs New Strategies
In the past month, we’ve seen a subtle but important shift in the US housing market: more homes are coming on the market, with new listings up 0.4% and total inventory up 0.5% through August 23—the highest since early Q2. Yet, despite this increase, high housing costs are keeping many buyers on the sidelines, and pending home sales have dipped 1.1% to their lowest in six months. The median sale price has edged up 1.9% year-over-year to just over $400,000, with average mortgage rates hovering near 7%, the highest we’ve seen in over a year.
What does this mean for buyers and sellers? For active buyers, rising inventory and softer demand are finally creating some negotiating power—particularly on homes that have been on the market for a few weeks. Sellers, on the other hand, are seeing the most success by pricing realistically, rather than holding out for last year’s highs. After 25 years guiding clients through all kinds of market cycles, I’ve found that staying alert to these shifts (and knowing when to negotiate for price cuts or concessions) can make a real difference in your outcome, whether you’re buying or selling.
