Last Updated on September 23, 2025
If you’re on the fence about buying, you might be interested to know that the best week nationally to buy a home all year will be October 12–18. During this week, a plethora of factors culminate, presenting buyers with increased inventory, less competition, and more time to make a decision.
Expect a more relaxed market this fall
Home prices and mortgage rates have remained relatively steady in 2025, giving buyers more time to decide without the threat of bidding wars. That said, buyers are still experiencing lower than normal inventory levels, as the real estate market faces a supply gap of roughly four million homes. Decreased inventory and steady demand is what’s keeping home prices elevated right now.
While national inventory levels are still about 13% lower than pre-pandemic levels, today’s buyers are met with significantly more inventory than those who braved the market in the last few years. Concerns over tarrifs, inflation, interest rates and employment growth have made buyers slightly more hesitant this year, allowing inventory to pile up. Not only do buyers have more time to decision, but they’ll also enjoy increased negotation power compared to years prior.
Sellers wishing to remain competitive in this market should take care to price their home strategically from the onset. Just to call one statistic to your attention to further illustrate this point, a remarkable 36% of all active listings in the state of North Carolina have had a price reduction–leaving buyers to wonder what’s wrong with properties that have higher than typical days on market.
To help buyers find homes this fall, Howard Hanna Allen Tate is hosting our Big Open House Event, held September 27-28.
As you tour open houses, here are important items to think through:
Items to think about as you attend open houses
- Square footage preference
- How many bedrooms/bathrooms do you need?
- Do you need a bonus/flex space?
- Do you need a home office?
- What type of layout do you prefer? Open? Separate spaces? Etc.
- Lawn preferences… do you want a low maintenance yard or are you okay with maintaining your yard?
- Do you want to buy in a neighborhood that has an HOA?
- What type of neighborhood amenities are you looking for?
- What closet space is preferred?
- How updated do you want the home to be?
- How close do you want to be to work/nearby conveniences?
- Average age of major appliances and systems
Attend an open house in your area with our Open House Event, this Saturday and Sunday!
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Howard Hanna Allen Tate Real Estate is the #1 real estate company in the Carolinas, with more than 75 offices and 1,800 agents serving communities across North and South Carolina. As part of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, the largest family-owned and operated real estate company in the United States, Howard Hanna Allen Tate offers a full suite of real estate services, including mortgage, insurance, title and relocation. For more information, visit www.howardhannatate.com.
