BILL BLACK

From September 27 to October 3, buyers were expected to see the strongest national mix of inventory, softer pricing, lighter competition, and slower market speed.
During that window, active listings could reach ↑31.9% versus the year's start and ↑13.3% versus the avg. week, expanding choice nationwide for buyers.
Listing prices were projected 3.5% below their seasonal peak, translating to ~$14K in possible savings on a median-priced US home near $416K.
Competition was historically ↓30.1% from its annual peak, while homes were expected to spend ~64 days on market, giving buyers more time.
The backdrop favored buyers: listings kept growing yearly, demand softened, and experts said earlier fall may widen choice while later fall may improve price flexibility.

The Best Time to Buy a Home in 2026

A mortgage monitor estimated US mortgage holders held a record $18T in home equity in Q2 2026, including $11.7T in tappable equity across 47.5M borrowers.
The data also showed ~813K borrowers owed more than their homes were worth, a yearly ↑~44%, showing record wealth can coexist with pockets of strain.
Nationwide, ~41% of mortgaged residential properties were equity-rich, meaning total loans were no more than half the home's estimated market value in Q2.
Even with record total equity, the equity-rich share fell from ~47% to ~41% yearly after four straight quarterly declines, nearing a five-yr low.
Home equity can create options, but borrowing adds debt, another payment, and collateral risk; many owners may simply keep that cushion as long-term wealth.