Sellers Outnumbered Buyers in July Housing Market

Seattle, WA, August 17, 2026—There were an estimated 51.3% more home sellers than buyers in the U.S. housing market in July, just shy of December’s peak of 51.8% and up from 47.9% the month before, reports Redfin.

Miami, Nashville and several parts of Texas are the nation’s strongest buyer’s markets, where sellers outnumber buyers by the widest margins.

When sellers outnumber buyers, buyers typically have more negotiating power because they have options. That’s why a market with a lot more sellers than buyers is considered a buyer’s market. We define a market where there are over 10% more sellers than buyers as a buyer’s market and a market where there are over 10% fewer sellers than buyers as a seller’s market. A market where the gap is plus or minus 10% is considered a balanced market. 

It’s only a buyer’s market for people who can afford to buy. High housing costs and widespread economic uncertainty have caused many would-be buyers to back off in recent years, creating the imbalance of buyers and sellers we see today. 

“Buyers are dropping out faster than sellers, giving the buyers who remain more options and more negotiating power,” said Asad Khan, a senior economist at Redfin. “At the same time, uncertainty around whether the Fed will hike rates–and this summer’s rising mortgage rates–are keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines. That makes the stretch between now and Labor Day a potential sweet spot for people who need to move: Buyers have leverage, while motivated sellers may be willing to negotiate before the early-fall rush brings some buyers back to the market. This could be the best chance for buyers and sellers to meet in the middle.”