Buying a Home in Late September Could Save You $14,000

The housing market is shifting towards buyers, and just in time: The best week of the year to buy is almost here.

According to a report from Realtor.com, the week of Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 will provide a combination of factors poised to make homebuying more accessible than in recent months: lower home prices, rising supply and less competition.

Buyers can typically expect prices to be 3.5% below their peak seasonal high due to decreased demand. On a $416,000 median-priced home, that means a savings of $14,000.

With fewer buyers competing for homes and more sellers coming into the market, total listings are nearly 40% higher than at the start of the year. According to the National Association of Realtors, there was a 4.9-month supply of unsold homes in August, its highest level in more than a decade.

While October is typically when these favorable conditions align, they're happening a little earlier than usual this year, according to Hannah Jones, senior economist at Realtor.com.

That's thanks to the larger supply and a shift in home seller attitude.

"Asking prices have fallen year-over-year for the past 10 months," Jones says. "That's the first stretch of home prices falling in pretty much the data's history, which goes back about a decade."

A year ago, many sellers priced homes optimistically and then had to offer reductions when their properties lingered on the market. This year, sellers are listing at a level that buyers are interested in, Jones adds.

The combination of lower prices and more supply means buyers who are still active in the market have more options and more time to compare and decide. They can also take advantage of motivated sellers who are willing to negotiate concessions. According to the Realtor.com report, nearly 6% of listings see a price drop during the best week to buy.

How to prepare to buy a house this fall

To prepare to buy a house, start by determining your down payment and calculating the interest rate and monthly payment you may qualify for.

Although the housing market has shifted in favor of buyers, mortgage rates remain elevated and pose a major challenge for many who rely on financing to buy a home, so Jones recommends doing the math to get a clear idea of your price range.

"The best thing buyers can do is work to rate-proof their budget, understand how shifting mortgage rates impact their monthly payments and how much of a home they can buy," Jones says.

By running the numbers and seeing how different interest rates affect your loan costs, you can get a more precise range for your homebuying budget.

Once you've determined what kind of mortgage payment you can afford, you then want to consider the other monthly costs of homeownership that are easy to overlook. These costs include property taxes, homeowners insurance, homeowners association fees (if applicable), maintenance and utilities.

Understanding the fall housing market

While late September to early October is considered the best week to buy, it shouldn't be treated as a hard deadline. Early fall typically offers a greater selection of listings, while later in the season may bring lower prices.

Location is also important when determining your strategy. The South is seeing the most supply come onto the market, creating more opportunity to negotiate with home sellers. The Northeast, on the other hand, is still tight on inventory, giving home sellers the upper hand in negotiations.

Knowing these market dynamics will shape your buying approach.

Your best option to succeed this fall, Jones says, is "being really strategic with what you're looking for and also understanding your specific market dynamics."