3 subways where buying a house now means more options and savings
The national “best week” to buy a house is a few weeks away – but in three subways the optimum time is to become a homeowner now.
The best time of RealTor.com® to buy 2025 report has identified the ideal time to buy real estate for each of the top 50 US metro’s. This is when well-prepared house hunters can expect that they encounter the most favorable market conditions-stock levels, prices under their seasonal peaks, less competition and a slower market tempo which makes a little more wobble space possible when it comes to making a decision.
At the national level, the best time to buy a house is the week of 12-18 October.
In Hartford, CT, Virginia Beach, VA and Memphis, TN, the week of September 21-27, however, presents a rare combination of market conditions that are decided for buyers.
To identify the best week to buy in those three subways, Ermiler.com economists analyzed six demand and supply statistics that follow seasonal patterns from 2018 to 2024 (excluding 2020, which marked the start of the COVID-19 Pandemie). The statistics taken into account include listing prices, stock levels, new entries and views per real estate on RealTor.com.
The economists then worked out a “best time to buy” by scoring 0 to 100 every week of the year on the basis of housing measures that are most favorable for buyers, such as competition in a certain week, list prices, market pace, probability of price reductions and the demand for the homebuyer.
The mortgage interest rate was not included in the score because they do not follow a season pattern, but rather dependent on the economic circumstances.
Every week was arranged by the average of those scores. The week with the highest composite score was considered the best time to buy, which represents a balanced picture of the market conditions that are favorable for buyers.
Hartford, CT
House hunters who want to buy real estate in Hartford this week have almost 16% more entries to choose from compared to the average week.
At the same time, they are confronted with about a third less competition from other potential buyers than during the Summer Peak, based on online views per real estate.
In more good news for prospective homeowners, the typical home in Hartford is currently 7% priced under the peak and lingers on the market for three weeks longer than during the summer months.
For the context, the median listing price in the State Capital of Connecticut in August was $ 449,000, an increase of 5.6% compared to a year ago, according to the last monthly housing market trend report from Realtor.com.
Steeped in rich history and known as the house of literary giants such as Mark Twain And Harriet Beecher StoweHartford is also known as the “insurance capital of the world” because of its high concentration of insurance providers.
So it should not be a surprise that Hartford was in eighth place The LinkedIn 2025 survey Of the 25 fastest growing American subways for jobs.
Virginia Beach, VA
Those who dream of buying a house in a community in the oceans can find what they are looking this week in Virginia Beach.
The largest beach city in Virginia is where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. The city of almost half a million inhabitants is famous for its 3-mile ocean boardwalk, a popular aquarium and abundant walking and cycling paths in its state park.
Homebuyers have about 14% more offers this week to choose from – and about 5% more newly mentioned houses – than in a typical week, while they are confronted with less competition, because the reverses of real estate are currently more than 30% lower compared to the high season.
Another advantage for shoppers in Virginia Beach in September 21-27 is that the median listing price has fallen by 3.3% compared to the summer months. In August the typical house in the metro was priced at $ 413,000.
“Buyers in Hartford and Virginia Beach have had to deal with in recent years Hannah Jones. “Based on historical data, this week offers more houses and less competition compared to the average of the year and the peak of the summer.”
Jones adds that buyers in those subways can see a more manageable market pace, making them a little more time to choose.
Memphis, TN
The home base of the blues and the birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll, Memphis offers low costs of living and more affordable housing options compared to the National Median. In August the typical house in “The Bluff City” was slightly less than $ 333,000, or almost $ 100,000 discount on the National Median listing price.
During the “Best time to buy”, which started on Sunday, house hunters in Memphis can secure a house for almost 5% less than during the peak sales season.
Other important upsides are considerably less competition from other buyers (-29.7%), higher stock levels (14.%) compared to the average week and more new entries that reach the Memphis market (1.1%).
Memphis recently confronted his part of challenges, with a top of one US News & World Report List Of the most dangerous cities in the country.
But despite the increased crime percentage, Memphis continued to attract mega investors, thanks to the robust rental market.
“Memphis is especially attractive for his affordability, which has attracted considerable investor activity,” Jones explains. “Neighborhoods with lower crime rates, affordable prices and access to good schools can attract a stronger buyer competition, but the total conditions still bring buyers to a convenient position to secure a house.”
