Best time to buy a house? Mid-October 2025 favors buyers

The week of Oct. 12–18 will be the best time for homebuyers in 2025, according to Realtor.com’s annual Best Time to Buy Report.

The analysis projects buyers could see 32.6% more active listings compared to the start of the year, home prices averaging $15,000 lower than summer peaks and 30.6% less competition.

“After years of constrained conditions, the 2025 housing market is giving buyers something they haven’t had in a long time: options,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “I expect this market momentum shift to magnify typical seasonal trends that favor homebuyers in the fall.

“In a year that’s been the most buyer-friendly in nearly a decade, it’s the best window of opportunity for homebuyers all year.”

The report highlights several factors driving mid-October’s advantage:

• Listings are at their highest point since before the pandemic, offering buyers more choices.
• High mortgage rates and affordability challenges have slowed buyer activity, reducing competition.
• Homes are spending longer on the market, giving buyers more time to negotiate.
• Prices are on average 3.4% below peak levels, with roughly 5.5% of homes seeing reductions.
• New listings typically increase by about 15.7% compared to early-year levels.

Active listings surpassed 1 million in late spring, a milestone not reached in years. Elevated borrowing costs and stronger rental alternatives have also sidelined some buyers, adding to available supply.

“While the market has not yet tipped into a full ‘buyer’s market,’ conditions are more balanced than they have been in years,” Hale said. “This represents a significant shift after a period of historically tight supply and intense competition that left many home shoppers priced out.”

The timing of buyer-friendly conditions varies by region.

Markets such as New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas are expected to peak earlier — while Florida metros like Miami and Tampa may not see the same conditions until December.

Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. align with the national mid-October timing.

Across the 50 largest metros, 45 see their best weeks for buyers within one month of Oct. 12–18.