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It's been a rough year for homebuyers. Mortgage rates have been as high as 7% and average housing prices were still higher than $500,000 in the second quarter, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. But there could be good news around the corner.
Realtor.com has just issued its Best Time to Buy Report for 2025 and predicts that the week of Oct. 12-18 will be the optimal time for home buyers to make an offer.
"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 in a statement. "I expect this market momentum shift to magnify typical seasonal trends that favor homebuyers in the fall."
The optimal week varies in some areas New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas all see buyer-friendly conditions a few weeks earlier, often in September, Realtor.com says Florida can peak in December.
So what makes that mid-October period so special? It comes down to a variety of factors.
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FREDERIC J. BROWN
Listing prices during the best homebuying week of the year average 3.4% below the seasonal average, says Realtor.com. On a $440,000 house, that works out to a $15,000 savings.
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Early fall is typically the peak listing season. This year, the number of available homes is the highest it has been since before the pandemic, with 32.6% more active listings now than there were at the start of 2025. On top of that, mid-October usually sees 15.7% more new listings. Combined, that inventory should make it easier for you to find a home that fits you and your lifestyle, not to mention your price range.
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Catherine Delahaye
While the number of listings peaks at this time of year, it's generally not the most active buying season. And high mortgage rates have tempered buyer demand this year. Typically, competition from other buyers during this peak week is 30.6% lower than it is at its peak. That will give you more time to think about whether you want a house before making a bid, versus jumping into a deal just to avoid losing the house to others.
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R.J. Johnston
As fall settles in, owners can get a bit nervous about their listing, which leads some to cut the price. Roughly 5.5% of homes will see price drops the week of Oct. 12, though that number could be even higher, given how the summer has gone.
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This wasn't a factor in Realtor.com's study, but the Federal Reserve's decision to cut rates in September, with two more expected cuts before the end of the year are helping to push down mortgage rates. After spiking at 7.04% in January, they've hovered about 6.5% for most of the year. For the week ending Sept. 16, however, the average 30-year fixed rate fell to 6.2%, the lowest figure in roughly a year. On a $400,000 loan, that works out to an average monthly savings of nearly $500 vs. a 6.5% rate.
