The Best Time Of Year To Buy A Home Is Almost Here. Here's What Potential Buyers Should Know
We're closing in on the finish line for 2025, and the financial stresses of many Americans have only gotten worse. It may be for this reason that this year's housing market hasn't been particularly bustling. Often, experts say that spring is the best time of year to buy a house, but that wasn't the case in 2025. This fall, we finally have some good news relating to our pocketbooks: According to Realtor.com, the best time to purchase a home in 2025 is projected to be October 12 to 18.
In addition to a potential boost in listings of over 30%, experts estimate that week may see decreases of around $15,000 in some listing prices compared to the summer. With mortgage rates trending downward as well, a cluster of potential advantages for buyers is on the horizon. This fast-approaching date doesn't need to give you anxiety about a time limit, though. Realtor.com predicts that much of the month of October will be similarly beneficial for buyers and, depending on where you live or where you're searching, the good-deal hunting season may stretch as late as December.
What makes mid-October ideal for home buying?
Behind this 2025 real estate trend you'll want to know about, supply and demand is at the heart of why the week of October 12 is so ideal for buying a home. The biggest driver behind what makes this week tops is the amount of homes up for grabs. The market tends to slow down in the fall, and Realtor.com reports that the selection of homes available often increases in October. This cuts down on competition among buyers and causes properties to spend more time on the market.
That said, there are subtleties that insert some gray area into what may seem black and white. Besides buyer demand, Realtor.com determines the "best week" by comparing data on prices, how long houses spend on the market, the amount of new listings that pop up, and how prices change during that time. For the last three years, home prices have been pretty stable. During the best week for buying, home prices tend to sink almost 3.4% from the season high. With houses spending more time on the market, sellers may be more easily persuaded to accept lower prices than they would in spring or summer. If you can get a favorable interest rate on your mortgage, all of these factors might join forces to make fall 2025 the perfect time to invest in a new home.