How To Find the Best Deal Possible on a Home Right Now

If you’re house hunting today, you’ve probably felt it: some homes fly off the shelf, while others just… sit. And that second group is where a lot of the best buying opportunities live right now.

Here’s the simple truth behind the headline: the longer a home stays on the market, the more negotiating power you’re likely to have. Sellers become more open to price adjustments, credits, and other concessions as time goes on. So if your goal is to get the best deal you can, focusing your search strategically matters more than ever.

Let’s break down what the data is showing, why it matters for your purchase, and how to use this insight to your advantage in Metro Atlanta.

Why “Days on Market” Matters More Than You Think

When a home first hits the market, sellers tend to price based on optimism and peak expectations. Early on, they’re testing demand. If showings are strong or offers come quickly, they can hold firm.

But if a listing lingers without meaningful buyer activity, the tone changes. Sellers often start asking:

• “Did we price too high?”

• “Is something turning buyers off?”

• “How long can we keep carrying this home?”

That shift creates your opening.

And the National Association of Realtors (NAR) backs this up with a clear trend: homes that sell quickly tend to close very close to list price, while homes that stay on the market longer sell for less.

In the chart above, the pattern is hard to ignore:

• Homes on the market less than 2 weeks typically sell for about 100% of list price

• After 3 to 4 weeks, they slip to around 99%

• At 5 to 8 weeks, closer to 98%

• By 9 to 16 weeks, about 96%

• And at 17+ weeks, the average drops to around 94% of list price

That’s not a tiny difference. Over time, it can mean serious savings.

The Opportunity: More Sellers Are Cutting Prices

The other big piece of the puzzle is this: price reductions are becoming more common.

According to Realtor.com, about 1 in 5 listings (20.2%) have reduced their asking price at least once this year. And what’s especially notable is that this share is fairly consistent across the country, not just in a few pockets.

Translation: no matter where you’re searching, there’s a real chance to find a better deal.

In a market like Atlanta, where some neighborhoods remain competitive and others are seeing more inventory build up, knowing where these price cuts are happening gives you a huge edge.

The Tactic: Target Homes That Have Been Sitting the Longest

Smart buyers right now are doing one thing differently:

They’re not only looking for the “perfect” house. They’re looking for the best opportunity.

And those opportunities tend to show up in listings with longer days on market.

Why?

Because sellers of those homes are often more motivated. They may be:

• already moved or relocating

• carrying two mortgages

• adjusting to a slower pace than expected

• ready to move on and open to negotiation

Also, many buyers skip over older listings assuming something must be wrong. Sometimes that’s true. But very often, it’s simply pricing, timing, or presentation.

That’s where your advantage kicks in.

With less competition, you’re more likely to avoid bidding wars and gain leverage to negotiate items that add real value, such as:

• closing cost credits

• rate buy-downs

• repair concessions

• home warranties

• flexible timelines

Those “extras” can easily add up to thousands of dollars saved without changing the list price much at all.

Even a Small Discount Can Add Up

A 6% difference may not sound dramatic at first. But on a median-priced home, that gap can translate into meaningful money back in your pocket.

For example (keeping the math simple):

• On a $400,000 home, paying 94% of list price is a $24,000 reduction.

• That kind of savings can cover closing costs, upgrades, or even help offset interest rate impacts.

And sometimes, the deal isn’t just in the number. It’s in the structure of the offer. A seller might accept a slightly lower price if you can make the terms smoother for them. That’s a strategy conversation worth having one-on-one with your agent.

How We Help Buyers Find These Deals in Atlanta

At The Agency Atlanta, we help buyers look beyond the obvious and search with intention.

That includes:

1. Filtering by days on market
   We identify listings that have been active longer than the neighborhood average, which is often where negotiation room lives.

2. Tracking price reduction history
   A home that’s already reduced price once is more likely to negotiate again than a brand-new listing.

3. Contextual neighborhood insight
   Days on market can mean different things in different parts of Atlanta. We help you understand what “longer than normal” really looks like in the areas you care about.

4. Strategy-first offers
   We don’t just submit an offer. We build a plan around timing, terms, and leverage so you’re positioned to win the best deal possible.

Bottom Line

If you want the best deal on a home right now, don’t only chase the newest listings.

Look where other buyers aren’t looking.
With more sellers adjusting prices and flexibility increasing as listings sit, older inventory can be a goldmine for value.

If you’d like help spotting the best opportunities in your preferred Atlanta neighborhoods, reach out to The Agency Atlanta. We’ll help you find the homes with the most negotiating power, and craft a strategy that makes your money go further.

Follow along for more local market insights and buying tips at @theagency.atlanta.