Want to buy a house this year, but not sure if the timing’s right? Seasonally, it may actually be a better time to buy than you expect.Yes, mortgage rates have been ticking up lately –
Why the "Stale" Listing Might Be Your Best Opportunity
Dated: January 26 2026
Views: 73
When you see a house that’s been sitting on the market for a while, the reaction is almost automatic. You start thinking:
What’s wrong with it?
Why hasn’t anyone bought it yet?
Am I missing something?
That mindset made sense a few years ago. But in today’s market, you may actually miss out.
More Time on Market Isn’t Automatically a Concern Anymore
A few years ago, homes sold in just a matter of days. Sometimes, hours. Anything that lingered longer than that raised concerns. But that’s no longer the baseline.
Inventory has grown. Buyers have more choices. And homes are taking longer to sell across the board. Those are some of the reasons why the typical time it takes a home to sell has climbed this year:
And it’s not that 73 days is slow. That’s actually pretty normal for this time of year. It just feels slow because you heard so much about houses being snapped up in the buying frenzy a few years ago.
That shift alone explains a lot of what you’re seeing. It’s not necessarily that there’s anything wrong with the house itself. Although, let’s be honest, sometimes that is the case.
Most of the time today, a house that’s taking longer to sell simply means:
There are a lot of homes for sale in that area
The seller priced a little too high at first
The home didn’t photograph as well online
Buyers passed it over for flashier listings nearby
The timing just wasn’t right when it first hit the market
None of those are necessarily deal-breakers.
What Buyers Often Get Wrong About These Listings
Because even though you may assume a house that hasn’t sold must have hidden issues, the reality is, that’s not always the case. And, if the house does have issues, it’ll show up quickly in your inspection.
That’s information you can use to negotiate. Not a reason to walk away automatically. And in many cases, that’s where buyers find the best deals.
The key is knowing which homes that have been sitting for a while are worth a second look – and which ones aren’t. That’s why working with a local agent makes a real difference. They’ll be able to look at disclosures and more to help you uncover hidden gems other buyers may overlook.
Bottom Line
A home sitting on the market isn’t always a warning sign. Sometimes it’s an overlooked opportunity.
If you want help identifying which homes are worth a second look (and which ones to skip), please reach out, me and my team can guide you to your next move.
Torres Team Realty
As the Team Director of Torres Team Realty, I have spent many hours educating myself and our team on multiple avenues of Real Estate. All agents are members of the California Association of Realtors a....
Latest Blog Posts
Ask a couple people how the housing market is doing and you’ll probably get a couple different answers. That’s because right now, the market runs on 2 very different tracks, split by
You’ve been waiting for something to change before you buy. It just might not be the thing you expected…While everyone’s paying attention to mortgage rates, only the savviest
Lately, headlines have floated an eye-catching idea about tapping into your 401(k) to cover a down payment on a home. Maybe you’ve caught the buzz and wondered whether that money
Based on information from California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. as of September 22, 2026 7:07 AM UTC This information is for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties you may be interested in purchasing. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Broker/Agent has not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.
This information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. You should rely on this information only to decide whether or not to further investigate a particular property. BEFORE MAKING ANY OTHER DECISION, YOU SHOULD PERSONALLY INVESTIGATE THE FACTS (e.g.square footage and lot size) with the assistance of an appropriate professional. You may use this information only to identify properties you may be interested in investigating further. All uses except for personal, non-commercial use in accordance with
Last updated: September 22, 2026 6:52 AM UTC Property Information © 2026 
The information being provided by Conejo Simi Moorpark Association of REALTORS ® ("CSMAR") is for the visitor's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties visitor may be interested in purchasing. Any information relating to a property referenced on this web site comes from the Internet Data Exchange ("IDX") program of CSMAR. This web site may reference real estate listing(s) held by a brokerage firm other than the broker and/or
The MLS™ I-Tech ® All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in
The information being provided by Lake Havasu Association MLS is for the consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumer may be interested in purchasing. Any information relating to real estate for sale referenced on this web site comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of the Lake Havasu Association MLS. eXp Realty of Southern California, Inc. CA DRE#02187306 is not a Multiple Listing Service (MLS), nor
