Best Time to Buy in the Northwest in Years

By Matt Stark

Matt Stark is a top 1% REALTOR® in Seattle with over 19 years of experience. A Seattle native, he began his career in 1999 as an investor before transitioning to full-time real estate.

Every market update covers the same things. Inventory, pricing, days on market, we usually talk about all of it. But there’s a better question worth asking right now: Where’s the real opportunity in today’s market?

Depending on whether you’re buying or selling in the Northwest, the answer looks completely different.

For buyers, this is the best window in years. If you’re buying right now, you’re in the strongest position I’ve seen in the last seven or eight years. There’s more inventory on the market than there’s been in a long time, which changes everything about how you get to shop. You have room to negotiate, time to be picky, and a real shot at getting a great property at a good price, probably a better price than we’ve seen in years.

Affordability is in a better spot than it’s been, too. And you shouldn’t be scared of the market softening from here. When you buy a home, you’re usually buying for the long term, and the market will go up and down and up again before you’re ever looking to sell. Right now is a great time to get in.

For sellers, it’s trickier, but there’s still a window. This is the harder side of the market right now. Prices have softened, and more homes are competing for buyers. So where’s the opportunity? It’s to get sold now, before the market gets slower.

Heading into the fall and into 2027, we’re going to be dealing with a lot more inventory during the slow season, around November, December, and January. When homes sit, prices get reduced to move. And when sellers list in 2027, their pricing will be based on the last six months of sales, which will be all of this slower fall period. That’s why there’s still a real opportunity to get sold in 2026.

If you want to be sold this year, the window is August through Halloween. For any seller who wants to be done this year, that’s the stretch to just do what needs to get done. If it’s a marketing problem, fix it. If it’s a pricing problem, get it to a level that will actually cause the home to sell. If it’s a condition issue, address it so you’re on an even playing field with the other homes out there. The goal is simple: get it sold this year so you’re not fighting everybody else next year at potentially lower prices.

That’s the real opportunity in today’s market, a genuine opening for buyers, and a closing window for sellers who want to move this year. If you ever want to talk through where you stand, I’m here to help. Call or text me at 206-940-4557, email me at matt@mattstarkrealestate.com, or visit searchhomesnw.com.