The Housing Market Has Flipped—And Buyers Are Holding the Cards

After more than a decade of bidding wars, waived inspections, and heartbreak-by-overask, the real estate pendulum is finally swinging back — and guess what? Buyers are holding the remote now.

1. Sellers Are Lining Up... But Where Are the Buyers?

For the first time since Redfin began tracking the data in 2013, the number of sellers has significantly outpaced buyers. As of spring 2025, there are nearly 500,000 more home sellers than buyers across the U.S. That’s not just a gap — that’s a Grand Canyon.

Blame it on sticker shock, 6.8% mortgage rates, or the simple fact that buyers have gotten pickier than a kid at a salad bar — but demand has cooled. Homes are sitting longer, price cuts are happening more frequently, and sellers are learning a new word: negotiation.

Redfin even forecasts a 1% dip in home prices by the end of the year, and in real estate terms, that’s a pretty loud whisper of “you’ve got leverage now.”

2. Meanwhile in the Midwest... Buyers Are Getting More for Less

Let’s talk local. The Midwest hasn’t just joined the buyers' market — it’s thriving in it.

Take Toledo, Ohio, where the average listing price is hovering around $235,000 — nearly $200,000 less than the national median. You read that right: buyers in cities like Toledo, Rockford, and Grand Rapids are snapping up real homes for the price of a cramped apartment in a coastal zip code.

And it’s not just about price. Inventory is rising across the Midwest, and that means more options, fewer bidding wars, and actual time to think before making an offer (imagine that!).

If real estate were a game of poker, buyers in the Midwest are finally sitting at the table with a decent hand — and the sellers know it.

Final Thought: The Power Has Shifted

Sure, rates are still up and affordability isn’t perfect. But for savvy buyers who’ve been sidelined waiting for the market to cool off, 2025 is shaping up to be a rare window of opportunity.

So if you've been waiting to stop renting, start investing, or finally move into a place with a kitchen bigger than a walk-in closet — now might be the time to make your move.

Buyers, your time is now. And sellers? Better bring snacks — you might be waiting a while.