I'm seeing a mixed market right now, not the dramatic softening some reports suggest. At BrightBridge, we're still closing deals within 1-2 weeks, which tells me demand remains strong among investors. Yes, some markets are cooling from their peak frenzy, but that's creating opportunities rather than crisis. For homebuyers, this is actually becoming a better market. The bidding wars I saw clients steer in 2022-2023 have largely disappeared. I recently helped a fix-and-flip client secure a property in Brooklyn without competing against 15 other offers—something unthinkable 18 months ago. My advice? Strike now if you have financing lined up. I've structured deals for clients who waited "for better conditions" and ended up paying more six months later. The clients who moved quickly on stabilized properties this year are already seeing positive cash flow while others are still waiting for the "perfect" moment. The key is having your financing ready before you find the property. I've seen too many deals fall through because buyers weren't pre-approved or didn't understand their loan options. Whether it's our DSCR loans for investors or traditional mortgages, get your paperwork sorted first—then hunt for deals.
After building and exiting two companies with over $1 billion in combined sales, I'm watching something different than broad softening—it's market segmentation. Our ez Home Search platform shows Miami Beach averaging 125 days on market while certain North Dakota properties move in 73 days. The "softening" ICE mentions is really premium markets correcting while mid-tier areas hold steady. This is absolutely prime buying territory for prepared buyers. I'm seeing our vetted partners close deals with actual negotiations again—something that disappeared during the frenzy. Properties like the Maryland listings we track (11,547 active) are sitting long enough for buyers to conduct proper due diligence instead of blind bidding wars. The timing question misses the real opportunity cost. Through our platform's 80M+ property database, I'm tracking buyers who waited in 2024 expecting crashes—they're now competing for the same $417,985 average Maryland homes but with less inventory. Quality properties still move quickly when priced right. Your financing readiness matters more than market timing. Our mortgage partner network shows that buyers with solid pre-approvals are securing properties while others debate timing. The data across our national platform proves that prepared buyers win in any market cycle, not market timers.
Having worked in mortgage for over a decade and launched my agency in 2015, I'm seeing regional variations rather than uniform softening. Our Facebook campaigns are still generating leads at $4.94 average cost in some markets while others hit $21.17—that spread tells me certain areas remain competitive while others are genuinely cooling. This is the best buying environment I've seen in three years for actual homebuyers. The frantic pace where clients had to waive inspections and offer 20% over asking has largely disappeared. My loan officer clients report buyers can now negotiate repairs and actually think through their decisions instead of making emotional snap offers. The "wait and see" approach is costing people more than they realize. I've tracked clients who delayed purchases in early 2024 expecting major price drops—they're now facing the same prices but with fewer quality options available. The inventory that's moving off the market first is the well-priced, desirable properties. Get your pre-approval locked in now while you shop. I'm seeing too many buyers miss opportunities because they're not ready to move when the right property appears. The market rewards prepared buyers who can close quickly, not those waiting for some mythical perfect moment that may never come.
1. What's the State of the U.S. Home Market Right Now? Yes, I do agree that the market is softening, and we've seen clear signs of that throughout this year. Home price growth has slowed in many areas, especially in regions that saw massive price spikes during the pandemic. High mortgage rates have cooled demand, and sellers are adjusting their expectations as homes are sitting longer on the market. It's not a crash by any means—it's more of a slow, uneven adjustment. Inventory remains limited in many cities, but buyers aren't as aggressive as they were a couple of years ago. 2. Is This a Good Buying Market for Homebuyers Right Now? Whether it's a good market really depends on the buyer's goals and timeline. If someone is buying a home to live in long-term—and they've secured financing they're comfortable with—this could actually be a smart time to act. Buyers finally have more room to negotiate; price reductions, closing cost credits, and repair requests are all back on the table in many markets. That said, this isn't a "get in before prices skyrocket" moment. It's a market for strategic, patient buyers—not those chasing quick flips or short-term gains. 3. Should Home Buyers Wait or Strike Now? If a buyer has stable financing lined up—or cash—and finds a home that truly fits their needs, I'd lean toward moving forward rather than waiting. Trying to time the bottom of the market is risky, especially with interest rates still unpredictable. Plus, if prices do soften further, it likely won't be dramatic enough to outweigh the value of locking in the right home for your family or lifestyle now. The key is to buy within your means and focus on long-term affordability, not short-term price swings. In short: This isn't the market to panic-buy or speculate—but for well-prepared buyers, it can offer real opportunities.
There are quite a few places where home prices are softening a bit. The primary reason for this is probably because the number of home sales has actually declined pretty significantly in 2025. That's likely due to economic and general uncertainty. When you have less people buying homes, the supply/demand ratio becomes less extreme and sellers start losing some power. It's still definitely a sellers market nationally, but lots of sellers are feeling a little more pressure to lower their prices slightly in order to appeal to the smaller number of buyers out there. It could be a good time for buyers to find a decent deal on a new home.
From managing $2.9M in marketing budgets across 3,500+ units in Chicago, San Diego, Minneapolis, and Vancouver, I'm seeing rental demand tell a different story than the home buying market. Our occupancy rates at properties like The Sally in Uptown Chicago remain strong because people are choosing to rent longer instead of buying into uncertain pricing. The current environment actually favors buyers who understand rental market dynamics. When I analyze our UTM tracking data showing 25% increases in qualified leads, it's often from people comparing rent-versus-buy scenarios. Properties in areas with strong rental markets like our Chicago locations give buyers confidence they won't be stuck if they need to relocate. My advice is to act now if you're targeting markets with healthy rental demand as your safety net. During our recent lease-up campaigns, I've noticed buyers gravitating toward areas where they could easily rent their property later—essentially hedging their investment. This dual-market analysis approach helped our team achieve 25% faster lease-ups, and smart buyers are using the same logic. The financing landscape from our vendor negotiations shows lenders are more flexible now than they were six months ago. We secured better terms on our marketing contracts using historical performance data, and I'm seeing buyers apply similar strategies with mortgage negotiations rather than waiting for perfect market conditions.
From my perspective managing marketing across FLATS® properties, the market isn't just softening—it's fragmenting by micro-location in ways that aggregate data misses. When I developed our geofencing campaigns using Digible, we found engagement rates varying by 15-20% within the same city depending on neighborhood rental velocity and new construction pipelines. The real opportunity isn't timing the overall market, but identifying specific buildings or blocks where inventory is clearing faster than surrounding areas. During our video tour implementation, we tracked which properties achieved 25% faster lease-ups, and those same neighborhoods are now showing home price resilience while adjacent areas soften. Smart buyers should focus on assets near strong rental properties rather than waiting for broad market signals. When I negotiated our $2.9M marketing budget allocation, properties within walking distance of our high-occupancy buildings consistently attracted premium pricing because buyers recognized the rental demand safety net. The key insight from our UTM tracking showing 25% lead generation improvements: buyers are researching rental comps before purchasing decisions more than ever. This behavior suggests the market rewards those who understand both sides of the residential equation rather than those waiting for perfect timing.
Marketing Manager at The Hall Lofts Apartments by Flats
Answered 9 months ago
From my perspective managing marketing for a 3,500+ unit portfolio across Minneapolis, Chicago, and San Diego, I'm seeing regional variations rather than uniform softening. Minneapolis specifically shows steady demand in urban cores like North Loop where we operate The Hall Lofts, while suburban markets have definitely cooled. For multifamily properties, our data shows a different story than single-family homes. We achieved 25% faster lease-ups this year through video tour implementation and saw qualified leads increase 25% while reducing cost per lease by 15%. This suggests rental demand remains robust as potential buyers pivot to renting. The opportunity lies in the rental market right now. We're seeing people who would have bought homes in 2021-2022 now considering quality rental options, especially with our affordable housing units at 60% AMI. Our conversion rates from tour-to-lease jumped 7% this year as we captured this shifted demand. My $2.9M budget allocation strategy this year prioritized digital marketing over traditional channels, anticipating this market shift. Properties with strong online presence and flexible lease terms are winning while others struggle with longer exposure times.