Listen, I’m going to be straight with you because that’s what you deserve. The North Texas housing market just shifted in a way we haven’t seen since 2013, and if you’re not paying attention, you’re missing the play.
While everyone else is still talking about last year’s market, I’m watching something extraordinary unfold right now: record price cuts, inventory climbing steadily, and sellers who are finally, finally, getting realistic about pricing. The U.S. housing market has quietly moved into the strongest buyer’s market in over a decade, and North Texas is tracking this shift almost perfectly.
Here’s what nobody’s telling you: roughly a quarter to a third of listings across Dallas–Fort Worth are seeing price reductions. Days on market are stretching. And for the first time since the pandemic turned everything upside down, prepared buyers have real negotiating power.
This isn’t about doom and gloom. This is about opportunity, but only if you understand what’s actually happening and move strategically.
Why Are Home Buyers Suddenly Getting Real Discounts in 2025?
Let me paint you the picture with actual data, not wishful thinking.
Recent national analyses show the typical listing is experiencing some of the largest cumulative price cuts on record. High-priced coastal markets are reporting average reductions in the tens of thousands of dollars. Some metros are seeing typical discounts well above $50,000.
But here’s the part that matters for North Texas: multiple data providers estimate there are significantly more sellers than buyers in the market right now, the biggest imbalance in over a decade.
What does this actually mean when you’re out there looking at homes?
More inventory sitting longer. Homes that would’ve had multiple offers in 48 hours back in 2021–2022 are now sitting for 30, 60, even 90+ days. I’m seeing it every single week in Ellis County and across the metroplex.
Multiple price cuts becoming normal. Sellers are making two, three, sometimes four price reductions just to generate serious showings. That psychological barrier of “never dropping the price” has completely shattered.
Buyer leverage on price AND terms. If you’re patient, well-qualified, and working with someone who knows how to negotiate in this environment, you can negotiate not just on price but on closing costs, repairs, rate buy-downs, and timing.
This is the first real window of negotiating power buyers have had in over a decade. But, and this is critical, it won’t last forever, and not every buyer is positioned to take advantage.
Is 2025 a Good Time to Buy a House in North Texas?
I get this question every single day, and here’s my answer: it can be an excellent time for the right buyer with a long-term horizon.
Notice I didn’t say it’s perfect for everyone or that you should rush out tomorrow and make an offer. Strategy matters. Your specific situation matters. But the market conditions? They’re the most favorable for buyers we’ve seen since before the pandemic.
Here’s what I’m watching in Dallas–Fort Worth right now:
Inventory has risen meaningfully. We’re not back to pre-pandemic levels across the board, but we’re getting closer every month. More choices mean you’re not settling for “good enough”, you can actually find the home that checks your boxes.
Sale-to-list-price ratios under 100%. The typical home in North Texas is selling below asking price right now. Read that again. After years of bidding wars and waived contingencies, the average home sells for less than the seller asked.
Price cuts everywhere you look. Entering 2025, an estimated one-quarter or more of listings have experienced at least one price reduction. In some counties across the metroplex, I’m seeing even higher percentages.
Dallas County, Tarrant County, Ellis County, Collin County, Kaufman County, they’re all showing elevated levels of price reductions. This is a complete reversal from the ultra-competitive pandemic era.
Now, here’s where strategy comes in. If you’re planning to hold a home for 7–10+ years minimum, these current conditions can absolutely offset higher mortgage rates:
- Real selection without desperation. You can take your time, see multiple properties, compare neighborhoods properly.
- Negotiation leverage. Repairs, concessions, closing cost credits, everything’s back on the table.
- Buying below peak. Compared to 2021–2022 highs, you’re likely getting in at a better price point even with higher rates.
The buyers winning right now aren’t the ones asking “Is this the absolute perfect time?” They’re asking “Do I have a solid down payment, stable income, and a long-term plan?” If yes, this market is built for you.
How Much Below Asking Price Is Reasonable to Offer Right Now?
This is one of the top real estate questions being searched nationally, and I’m going to give you the real answer based on what’s actually working in North Texas in 2025.
Industry guidance built on recent market behavior suggests:
In a strong buyer’s market, offers 5–10% below asking are common on well-priced homes, especially if they’ve been sitting for several weeks. These aren’t insult offers, they’re market-appropriate offers that reflect current conditions.
When a home is clearly overpriced or needs significant work, buyers may reasonably start 10–20% below list, as long as those numbers are supported by comparable sales data. I’ve written multiple offers in this range recently that either got accepted or led to productive counter-negotiations.
Going more than 20–25% below list on a standard resale home usually doesn’t make strategic sense because you risk offending the seller to the point where they won’t negotiate at all. There’s aggressive, and then there’s counterproductive.
But here’s what actually matters most in determining your offer strategy:
Days on market. A home sitting 30–60+ days with one or more price reductions? That seller is hearing crickets, and they know it. They’re far more motivated than someone who listed three days ago.
Price-cut history. When a property has already taken cumulative reductions, say, listed at $450K, dropped to $435K, then $425K, that seller is telegraphing motivation loud and clear.
Local comparable sales. This is non-negotiable. A professional comparative market analysis (CMA) comparing recent closed sales in that specific neighborhood is your anchor for a realistic offer. Not what Zillow says. Not what the seller wishes. What similar homes actually sold for in the last 30–90 days.
I walk my buyers through multiple CMA scenarios to tailor strategy. Sometimes we target a modest price reduction but larger seller-paid concessions for closing costs. Sometimes we go aggressive on price if the data supports it. Every situation is different, but the data always leads.
Why Are So Many Sellers Finally Cutting Prices After Years of a Frozen Market?
From 2022 through much of 2024, we lived through what many buyers called the worst housing market in recent history, too expensive to buy because of high rates, but with too little inventory for prices to fall quickly. Frozen.
Several forces are converging right now to change that:
The affordability wall. Even modest price growth combined with 6–7% mortgage rates pushed monthly payments beyond what most buyers could stomach. A $400,000 home at 3% is a completely different animal than the same home at 7%.
Equity cushions from the boom years. Most sellers gained massive equity during 2020–2022. They have room to drop prices and still walk away with profit. That psychological safety net is crucial.
Days on market creating urgency. When your home sits 60+ days with minimal showings, reality sets in fast. You either adjust your price or you pull it off the market and try again later.
Localized oversupply in some areas. Certain submarkets with heavy new construction or investor activity have more supply than demand right now, forcing faster price adjustments.
The result is exactly what we’re seeing in headlines: record cumulative price cuts and the largest gap between sellers and buyers in over a decade.
This isn’t a crash. This is a rebalancing. And in a rebalancing, the prepared players, both buyers and sellers who adapt quickly, win.
What Ellis County Buyers Need to Know Right Now
Here’s where the real opportunity is hiding: while everyone’s focused on the expensive northern suburbs, Ellis County is offering incredible value plays for strategic buyers.
You’re getting more house for your money, newer construction options, and you’re positioned ahead of major infrastructure developments that are going to reshape this area over the next 3–5 years.
They will bring significant commercial growth, jobs, and amenity improvements to the area. Smart buyers are positioning themselves now, before these developments fully materialize and prices adjust accordingly.
This is classic forward-thinking strategy: identify where growth is headed, not where it’s already happened and priced in.
How to Negotiate Great Deals Without Overplaying Your Hand
Strategy beats aggression every single time. Here’s how prepared North Texas buyers are winning right now:
Get fully underwritten pre-approval and proof of funds ready. Sellers will trade price and concessions for certainty. A strong pre-approval plus a clean offer structure can beat a slightly higher but shakier offer every time.
Target properties with clear negotiation signals:
- 30+ days on market
- One or more documented price cuts
- Vacant or investor-owned status
- Condition issues that scare off other buyers
Use concessions strategically. Sometimes asking for seller-paid closing costs, rate buy-downs, or repair credits saves you more money over time than grinding for every last dollar off the list price. I run the numbers both ways with my buyers so you make informed decisions.
Anchor your offer in data, not emotion. A solid CMA comparing recent local sales, price-per-square-foot, and condition gives you the foundation for whether to come in 3%, 8%, or 15% below asking. Data removes emotion from the negotiation.
Stay within appraisal reality. Lenders still appraise at market value. Offers far below what similar homes recently sold for can fail on appraisal, forcing renegotiation or cancellation. Aggressive is good. Unrealistic is counterproductive.
If You’re Selling in North Texas, Here’s How to Win in a Buyer’s Market
Sellers are searching “How much is my home worth right now?” and “Should I drop my price after 30 days?” in record numbers. Here’s the truth:
Price to the data, not to yesterday’s headlines. With sale-to-list ratios under 100% and elevated price-cut rates, overpricing by even 3–5% can push your property into “stale listing” territory fast. The market has no patience for wishful pricing.
Win on condition and presentation. Homes that are clean, well-staged, and move-in ready still command stronger offers and shorter market times, even when buyers have options. First impressions matter more than ever.
Offer strategic concessions instead of endless price cuts. A targeted credit toward rate buy-downs or closing costs can keep your contract price higher (supporting appraisals) while solving buyer pain points. Sometimes it’s smarter than dropping your price three times.
Market timing matters more than ever. The spring market is coming. Buyers who’ve been sitting on the sidelines through the holidays are starting to get serious. List too early with bad weather and you risk sitting. List at the right moment with the right price and presentation, and you can still generate competitive offers.
Why This Opportunity Won’t Last Forever
Here’s what I know after watching North Texas real estate for years: windows of opportunity don’t stay open indefinitely.
Interest rates will eventually moderate. When they do, buyers sitting on the sidelines will flood back into the market. Inventory will tighten again. Negotiating power will shift back toward sellers.
The buyers who win long-term are the ones who recognize favorable conditions and move strategically during them, not the ones who wait for perfection or try to time the absolute bottom.
The sellers who win are the ones who adapt quickly to current market realities instead of fighting against them.
This is your moment. The question is whether you’re positioned to take advantage of it.
Ready to Make Your Move?
Whether you’re buying or selling in Ellis County, Dallas–Fort Worth, or anywhere across North Texas, I can help you navigate this shifted market with a clear strategy built on current data and transparent communication.
Let’s talk about your specific situation. I’ll provide a customized market analysis, explain your options in today’s market, and show you exactly how to position yourself for success, whether that means buying below asking price or selling quickly at top dollar.
Text me at 214-228-0003. Let’s turn this market shift into your advantage.
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Bobby Franklin – REALTOR®
Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team
Serving Ellis County & DFW
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