In the heart of this winter season, Arizona's real estate market is showing some interesting twists that might just make it an ideal time for buyers to jump in. Normally, we see low inventory around this time of year. But what's unusual this year is that new listings are down by about 2% compared to last winter. This is a big shift because, for most of 2025, we've actually had more new listings each week than we did in 2024.

Why the Slowdown?

It seems many sellers are holding off until the spring market to list their homes. Meanwhile, a lot of buyers are also taking a pause—maybe because of the holidays or simply to avoid making big decisions during this season. That means the homes that are on the market right now are often listed by sellers who really need to sell. As a buyer, that's a bit of a hidden advantage.

A Buyer's Market Moment

Because there's less competition right now, buyers can actually take a little more time and negotiate better deals than they might be able to in the busier spring season. While there's a lot of talk out there about home prices dropping, the reality in Arizona is that prices have been steadily climbing back up to their 2022 peak levels. We don't really see any strong signs of prices dropping from here.

So, Is Now the Time?

In short: yes. If you want to avoid the spring rush and get a bit more negotiating power, this winter might be a great window of opportunity. While everyone else is waiting for spring, you could be settling into a new home with a deal you might not get a few months down the road.