Video Transcript

Are homes really taking longer to sell even while some sellers are gaining more negotiating power? The latest data shows that across the United States, homes are spending more time on the market year over year. Nationally, homes are sitting about five days longer, and in the western region it is closer to eight extra days. In Chandler, homes were taking around 74 days on average to sell by the end of 2025. This shows that buyers are slowing down and becoming more selective. At the same time, local seller conditions are quietly improving because demand has been stabilizing month over month. The market is no longer the fast and frantic environment people remember, but it is also not collapsing. Instead, it is becoming more strategic, where results depend heavily on pricing, positioning, and negotiation.

Looking at national pricing trends, the latest Case-Shiller Home Price Index released at the end of December 2025 shows an interesting shift. Most major U.S. cities experienced a small month-over-month decline of about 0.16%, marking the fourth negative report in a row nationally. However, the Phoenix area actually performed in the opposite direction and posted a positive monthly increase of about 0.43%, ranking first among the cities in the report. Only a few other cities such as San Francisco, Miami, and Chicago avoided price declines, but Phoenix showed one of the strongest positive movements during that period.

When we examine the year-over-year numbers, Phoenix still appears down about 1.54% and ranks near the bottom of the list. However, context is important. Many of the cities ahead of Phoenix are slowing down or flattening in their growth, while Phoenix has been improving month after month. If that momentum continues for the next couple of reports, Phoenix could climb significantly in the year-over-year rankings in the coming months.

Looking locally in Arizona, the Cromford Market Index provides another view of market conditions. This index measures whether the market favors buyers or sellers. A score above 110 indicates a seller’s market, between 90 and 110 indicates a balanced market, and below 90 indicates a buyer’s market. Throughout December, the Arizona single-family housing market strengthened for sellers. Out of 18 cities tracked, 16 cities improved toward stronger seller conditions, one city declined, and one remained unchanged. The average Cromford Market Index across all cities rose about 9.7%, slightly below the previous week’s increase of 10.8%, suggesting that the market is still improving but at a more sustainable pace.

Some cities showed particularly strong improvement, including Gilbert at about 19%, Peoria at 18%, Queen Creek at 15%, Phoenix at 15%, Glendale at 15%, and Goodyear at 14%. Chandler also showed continued strength with about an 8% increase, maintaining its position among the stronger markets in the region. These areas are seeing relatively stronger demand compared with supply, meaning homes are selling faster, concessions are less common, and sellers may have slightly better negotiating leverage.

Currently, ten cities remain in a seller’s market, including Fountain Hills, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Glendale, and Paradise Valley. Two cities, Peoria and Avondale, are considered balanced markets, while six cities remain buyer-leaning markets, including Goodyear, San Tan Valley, Queen Creek, Surprise, Buckeye, and Maricopa. Many of these are outer suburban areas, but even these markets are showing momentum shifting back toward sellers.

Finally, looking at days on market again, homes across the U.S. are taking slightly longer to sell compared with the previous year. In the West, the increase is nearly eight days. In Chandler specifically, homes were averaging around 75 days on market during November and December. While longer selling times sometimes cause concern, this does not necessarily signal a housing crash. As long as demand remains present, homes will still sell. The longer time on market simply reflects buyers taking more time to evaluate options, negotiate, and choose the right property. For sellers, this means success depends more on proper pricing, strong presentation, and effective marketing strategies rather than relying on rapid buyer competition.