— Melody Wright (@m3_melody) March 22, 2026
The tide has gone out. pic.twitter.com/PMRSvAQjOS
— The Great Martis (@great_martis) March 23, 2026
There Are 630,000 More Home Sellers Than Buyers—the Biggest Gap on Record
-
When sellers outnumber buyers, the buyers who are in the market have bargaining power. In other words, it’s a buyer’s market.
-
The strongest buyer’s markets are in the South, while the strongest seller’s markets are in the Northeast.
There were an estimated 46.3% more home sellers than buyers in the U.S. housing market in February (or 629,808 more, in numerical terms). That’s the largest gap in records dating back to 2013 and is up from 29.8% (or 449,409) a year earlier.
We define a market where there are over 10% more sellers than buyers as a buyer’s market and a market where there are over 10% fewer sellers than buyers as a seller’s market. A market where the gap is plus or minus 10% is considered a balanced market. By this definition, it has been a buyer’s market since May 2024.
When sellers outnumber buyers, buyers typically hold the negotiating power because they have a lot of options to choose from. That’s why a market with a lot more sellers than buyers is considered a buyer’s market. Of course, it’s only a buyer’s market for those who can afford to buy. High housing costs and economic uncertainty have caused many house hunters to retreat, creating an imbalance of buyers and sellers.