I focus on the room the market gives you.
Negotiation gets clearer when the market is slower, and Rotterdam, NY has been giving that kind of signal. Last month, a typical sale took 154 days and still landed at 100.8% of asking, so I would read that as a market that rewards the right setup more than the loudest one.
Homes sold at 100.8% of asking last month. That tells me the best-positioned properties can still hold firm, even when the pace is not fast.
For a buyer, I would not assume that a longer timeline automatically creates a bargain. The better move is to stay focused on the homes where the price and condition line up with the recent sold result.
Keep your eye on fit. Keep your offer clean. In Rotterdam, NY, I would use the timeline and the sold-to-list relationship together to decide how much room there really is to negotiate.
