More choices are available, but the strongest homes are still moving quickly once they line up with what the market is accepting.
If you are trying to decide whether you can move carefully or need to act fast, the answer is both. In Birmingham, MI, there were 112 active listings last month, but pending homes were going under contract in a typical 6 days, so I would tell you to shop with patience on selection and urgency on execution.
The clearest signal for anyone planning a purchase in Birmingham, MI is the split between availability and pace. Active listings reached 112 homes last month, up 12% from the prior month, and 78 new listings came to market, up 85.7%. Yet the homes that moved into contract did so in a typical 6 days, and closed sales took a typical 15 days.
That is why I would not confuse more options with extra negotiating time. Recent offers landed at 97.8% of asking, which tells me buyers still need to stay grounded in current pricing even when supply improves. A typical estimated home value sat at $777,420 last month, up 0.3% from the prior month and 2.1% from a year earlier, so the market is not handing out much room for indecision.
Get fully organized before you start touring, including proof of funds or financing paperwork and a clean decision list for what you will and will not compromise on. Focus on the homes that fit your budget immediately, because pending homes moved in 6 days last month. When you find the right fit, write with discipline and speed instead of assuming another week will be there for you.
