A tight market does not remove your choices - it changes where to be selective
If you're trying to figure out whether you still have room to negotiate, the answer is yes - just not on every home. In Auburn Hills, MI, recent accepted offers landed at 95.8% of asking, and active homes were taking about 35 days to sit on the market, so I would look most closely at listings that have been available longer than the typical closed sale timeline.
Recent conditions in Auburn Hills, MI still favor sellers overall, with supply at 0.83 months over the previous 30 days. Even so, there is a split worth paying attention to homes that closed recently took a typical 11 days, while homes still active were sitting around 35 days. That gap matters, because it suggests not every listing is moving with the same urgency.
My read for a buyer is straightforward. When pending homes are going under contract in about 8 days, I would stay decisive on the right property and more demanding on the homes that have lingered. Auburn Hills, MI had 10 active listings and 11 pending recently, which tells me you may not get many shots at the best match, but you also should not treat stale inventory like it deserves the same offer terms.
Set your ceiling before you tour. Move quickly on homes that line up with recent pending pace. Push harder on price or terms when a listing's time on market is closer to 35 days than 11, and keep your shortlist tight so you are ready when the right opening appears.
