how to sell in fall and winter’s cooler housing market
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By Sydney Jackson | Published on October 15, 2025
Some agents may dread the months when buyers aren't seeing properties in the idyllic glow of summer as sunlight pours through windows, kids play in yards and smiling neighbors spend time outside.
But fall and winter pose unique opportunities, according to Jason Waugh, president of Coldwell Banker Affiliates. Buyers are shopping for homes "when it's getting dark, it's cold, you got the holidays, school's getting over," Waugh told Real Estate News, adding that he believes this time of year brings out "the most motivated buyers."
It's not quite a buyers market, but conditions are more favorable for buyers now than in the past five years. Realtor.com declared mid-October the "best week" to buy nationwide in 2025 when comparing inventory, competition and market pace — and for most major cities, November through December generally seems to be the best time to buy.
Waugh, who has worked as a broker for 32 years, offers three strategies for agents to help sellers tap into this motivation: Start with the right market position, advertise actively and make reverse offers.
Be 'honest and candid' about local market conditions
Agents must first determine want versus need. If a seller can wait, Waugh said, don't rush the home to market — especially if local conditions aren't in their favor.
"You could afford to do that in the pandemic years," Waugh said. "You'd get multiple offers and a bidding war, waiving contingencies. But today, it's back to that time-old adage: First impressions matter."
Market position is especially important amid an influx of price reductions, contract cancellations and delistings. Agents can talk with sellers about the total inventory absorption rate and comps to determine how many similarly priced homes they are competing with.
Sellers can also invest in a pre-appraisal to validate their price before going to market and a pre-inspection to address or avoid potential repair negotiations. While the seller might not want to fix or disclose issues with the home, buyers are better positioned to walk away from a potential deal now than they were in the early 2020s, Waugh said.
"It starts and ends with honest and candid conversations about market conditions," Waugh said. "Let the data tell the story."
Go all in on advertising
With the market shifting toward buyers, passive strategies to sell won't cut it. Buyers today "are a lot more discerning than they were two, three, four years ago," Waugh said.
To raise awareness about a listing, agents can door-knock and invite neighbors to open houses, branch out a few blocks to reach individuals who are ready for "move-up" homes, pass out business cards, host curated showings and elevate their visuals. Reverse prospecting and reaching out to other listing agents and brokers to find buyers who are looking at similar properties can also help.
While going viral on social media may not be the golden ticket to a sale, it's another way to widen the net. Authentic, hyper-local real estate content — especially short-form videos — seem to connect best with viewers, Realtor.com data indicates.
Online engagement is another data point that agents can share with antsy sellers amid longer market times — and the higher the content quality, "the more eyeballs" a listing may get, Waugh said.
Be open to reverse offers
When buyers have more options and more time to deliberate, reverse offers can help get the ball rolling. Potential buyers who have interacted with a listing online, attended an open house or scheduled a private viewing are good candidates for this strategy, Waugh said.
Value-range pricing is another option that, albeit more passive, reaches more prospective buyers than fixed pricing. Buyers will likely opt for the lowest price point, Waugh noted — but some sellers may prefer that to getting no offers at all.
"At least it gives you something to start negotiating," Waugh said. "Price is only one term of the offer and whole contract."
Overall, Waugh explained that the market is shifting toward more traditional conditions that are hyperlocal and situational — which makes it harder to give blanket advice. "I don't even think it's a market by market thing," he said. "It's transaction by transaction, or opportunity by opportunity."