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Real Estate

Should You Still Expect a Bidding War

08/26/25

Why today’s housing market may offer you more negotiating power than you think

Should You Still Expect a Bidding War?

Why today’s housing market may offer you more negotiating power than you think

If you’re still worried about having to deal with a bidding war when you buy a home, you may be able to let some of that fear go.

While multiple-offer situations haven’t disappeared entirely, they’re not nearly as common as they used to be. In fact, a recent survey shows agents reported only 1 in 5 homes (20%) nationally received multiple offers in June 2025.

That’s down from nearly 1 in 3 (31%) just a year ago – and dramatically lower than in June 2023 (39%) (see graph below):

Bar chart shows homes receiving multiple offers declining from 43% in May 2023 to 20% in June 2025.

This trend means you should face less competition when you buy. That gives you more time to make decisions and the ability to negotiate price or terms.

It Still Depends on Where You’re Buying

Of course, national trends don’t tell the full story. Local dynamics matter, a lot. This second graph uses survey data from John Burns Research & Consulting (JBREC) and Keeping Current Matters (KCM) to break things down by region to prove just how true that is. It shows, while the share of homes getting multiple offers has dropped pretty much everywhere, some areas are still seeing more offers than others:

Chart shows multiple-offer rates fell from 31% to 20% nationally between June 2024 and June 2025, with regional comparisons.

In the Northeast, 34% of homes (roughly 1 in 3) are still receiving multiple offers. That’s more than the national average. But in Southeast, that number drops to just 6%.

What’s behind the difference? In general, the areas still seeing bidding wars tend to have lower-than-normal inventory. That imbalance between buyers and available homes keeps pressure on prices and competition. But markets with more listings are seeing conditions cool – and that means fewer bidding wars.

Sellers Are More Flexible Than You Might Think

Here’s another shift to show you just how much things have changed. According to a Redfin report, almost half of sellers are offering concessions, like covering their buyer’s closing costs or dropping their asking price to get their house sold.

That’s a clear sign this isn’t the same ultra-competitive market we saw a few years ago. Back then, sellers rarely compromised. And buyers often waived their inspection or appraisal to try to make their offer stand out. Now, things are different.

But again, how often this is happening is going to vary based on where you’re looking to buy. And that’s why you need a local agent’s expertise.