Buying or Selling in 2025: The Pros and Cons

The 2025 real estate market wasn’t defined by extremes. It was defined by behavior and planning.

A big part of my role this year was setting expectations early, especially with sellers. We had clear, upfront conversations about pacing. Before a home even hit the market, we mapped out scenarios together. If we didn’t see a certain number of showings by a specific point, we already knew what adjustments we would make. We also talked through the reality that offers often didn’t come in the first weekend, and that reacting too quickly wasn’t always the right move. In many cases, holding steady early on led to better outcomes.

For buyers, the focus shifted toward preparation and patience. Many entered the market motivated but quickly realized that success came from being strategic rather than impulsive. Time was spent reviewing comparable sales, understanding neighborhood trends, and setting clear limits before writing offers. When the right home appeared, buyers who had done the groundwork were able to move confidently and negotiate from a position of strength.

Across the board, buyers moved cautiously, sellers had to be intentional, and perception often mattered just as much as pricing. Here’s a simple breakdown of how both sides experienced the 2025 market.

Buyers in 2025

Pros

• More negotiating power than in recent years

• Ability to request repairs, credits, and interest rate buy downs

• Less pressure to rush into decisions

• Fewer automatic multiple offer situations

• Better insight into pricing as homes sat longer

Cons

• Hesitation caused some buyers to miss strong opportunities

• Many avoided writing offers in the first weekend, even on well priced homes

• Properties could suddenly attract competition after sitting, creating surprise bidding situations

• Fear of multiple offers sometimes outweighed logic

Sellers in 2025

Pros

• Buyers were generally more qualified and intentional

• Well prepared and well marketed homes still performed strongly

• Less chaos compared to peak frenzy years

• Clear strategies helped listings stand out

Cons

• Longer days on market became common

• Pricing correctly from day one mattered more than ever

• Buyers expected concessions such as repairs, credits, or rate buy downs

• Homes without strong marketing or preparation struggled

• Sellers needed patience and pre planned adjustment strategies

The Big Takeaway

2025 rewarded preparation.

Buyers who stayed informed, set clear criteria, and moved decisively when the right opportunity came along found success. Sellers who planned ahead, understood pacing, and trusted a well thought out strategy achieved the strongest outcomes.