“The market is…” and other misleading phrases
What the data really says in 2025… and what buyers & sellers should know this year
One of my biggest pet peeves? When someone confidently declares, “The market is [insert hot take here].” Like real estate is one neat, universal thing.
It’s kind of like saying, “The stock market is up.” Okay… but which part? Tech? Energy? Crypto? Because if your portfolio’s down 20% this year, that headline starts to feel less like insight… and more like insult.
Real estate works the same way. “The market” isn’t one big monolith, it’s more like a blender. You’ve got good stuff, bad stuff, weird stuff, and everything in between all getting swirled together.
Residential real estate is hyper-local. Making sweeping claims about the national market is like saying, “The weather is bad.” Where, exactly? Apex or Aspen? Because depending on where you are, it might be sunny and 75 or storming sideways.
Even within a single zip code, you’ve got micro-markets: condos vs. single-family, starter homes vs. luxury listings, places near great schools or transit hubs vs. homes a little more off the grid. So yeah, trying to sum all that up in one dramatic headline is… not super helpful.
That’s why I’ll never give you a one-size-fits-all market take. But I can zoom out, take a peek inside the blender, and give you a snapshot of what the big-picture data is telling us one-third into 2025 and what it might mean going forward.
Here’s what’s happening right now and what the current data is saying…
Seller concessions are up
44.4% of Q1 home sales included a seller concession—up 5% from last year and just shy of the early-2023 peak. (Think: mortgage rate buy-downs, repair credits, and more.)
Inventory is climbing
Active listings in April were up 30.6% year-over-year with the highest April inventory we’ve seen since 2020.
More price cuts
33.9% of March listings saw a price drop—the most for that month in over a decade.
Homes are sitting longer
The median days on market in March was 47 - slower than we’ve seen for this time of year since 2019.
More deals below asking (plus concessions)
21.5% of Q1 sales closed below asking and included a seller concession - up 3% from last year.
The trifecta is trending
Nearly 10% of homes sold so far in 2025 had all three: a price cut, a concession, and a final sale price under asking.
So what’s behind all this? Tariff talk? Mortgage rates? A jittery stock market? Maybe a little bit of everything.
Here’s my take: markets are like seasons in that they’re supposed to change. It’s not a red flag, it’s just the cycle doing what it does. What we’re seeing now feels like a response to years of affordability strain, economic uncertainty, and buyers hitting the pause button. That shift is starting to show in the numbers.
The big question: are we entering a new market season or just stuck in an extended case of the winter blahs?
Here’s what I believe to be true: if you're playing the long game, real estate is still one of the most stable, powerful ways to build wealth. Over 5 to 10 years, it tends to perform right alongside (or better than) other major investments. In the short term? Sure, there are winners and losers. But over time, it’s as steady as pollen in the Spring.
If you're curious what all this means for your property, neighborhood, or goals I’d love to talk through it together. I’ll give you the real story, not the headline version.
XO - Gee
