Realtor.com® Identifies Best Time to Buy a Home in 2026

Realtor.com® has identified the best time to buy a home in 2026, according to its latest report. The week of September 27th to October 3rd is expected to offer the most favorable conditions for home shoppers, with a range of factors aligning to make this a prime opportunity.

The report highlights that buyers may find 31.9% more active listings than at the start of the year, providing a wider selection of homes. Additionally, listing prices are projected to be 3.5% below their seasonal peak, translating to roughly $14,000 in savings on a median-priced home of about $416,000. This price reduction is a significant advantage for buyers looking to offset higher mortgage rates.

Hannah Jones, senior economist at Realtor.com®, explains, "Home shoppers heading into fall will find an opportunity that has been hard to come by in recent years: more choices and less urgency. With mortgage rates still elevated above year-ago levels, and offering buyers little relief on the financing side, this fall window is a clear opportunity for buyers to make up some ground elsewhere."

The report also notes that competition, measured by Realtor.com listing views per property, is historically 30.1% below its annual peak during this week. This reduced competition allows buyers more breathing room and more time to find the perfect home. Homes are expected to spend roughly 64 days on the market during the Best Week, about 13 days longer than the year's peak pace. This extended time on the market provides buyers with more negotiating room, as 5.7% of homes see price reductions during this period.

Realtor.com® analyzed six supply and demand metrics at a national and metropolitan level, using data from 2018 to 2025 (excluding 2020 due to pandemic anomalies). These metrics include listing prices, inventory levels, new "fresh" listings, time on market, homebuyer demand, and price reductions. Each week of the year was scored from 0 to 100 based on the number of active listings, with the week scoring highest in these factors being considered the best time to buy.

The national Best Week aligns with the best time to buy in 14 of the 50 largest U.S. metros, including Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Riverside. In these markets, buyers historically see 17.6% more listings than the typical week of the year, 36.1% less competition than the annual peak, about two additional weeks on market, and listing prices 5.7% below peak levels.

While the national Best Week is a significant indicator, local market conditions and personal priorities matter. Buyers focused on choice may benefit from acting earlier in the season, while those prioritizing price may find more savings later in the fall as demand softens toward the holidays. Realtor.com® advises buyers to explore local listings and personalize their search to find the best opportunities.

In summary, the week of September 27th to October 3rd is the best time to buy a home in 2026, offering a balanced mix of plentiful listings, reduced competition, and lower prices. This period provides a strategic window for buyers to take advantage of favorable market conditions and make informed decisions.