At the same time, homes that did sell still took longer to move. The typical property spent 61 days on the market, a week longer than a year earlier, and just 19.7% sold above list price, with the average sale‑to‑list ratio at 97.8%.
Buyers take their time and push harder
That backdrop left buyers with unusual leverage after years of bidding wars.
“Buyers have much more power than they’ve had over the past few years,” said Ben Ambroch, a Redfin Premier agent in Milwaukee.
“A lot of buyers are giving up a 3% mortgage rate for a 6% rate, so they have high standards for their new home. Buyers are negotiating prices and asking for repairs based on inspections. Sellers are more willing to compromise because listings have been sitting on the market longer; the sellers who need to move are eager to get a deal done.”
Those dynamics echo comments from brokers across the country. Las Vegas loan officer Crystal Schulz previously told Mortgage Professional America that lower rates drew clients “off the fence,” adding that there was “a lot more curiosity in our marketplace and just a lot more people qualifying too.”
