Market Survey: When a Home Sits, Sellers Need to Act Quickly

Editor’s note: This page contains home sale list price insights and data from a nationwide survey of top-rated real estate agents. The full survey report will be available at this link on Oct. 14, 2026.

A new survey from HomeLight provides valuable insights for home sellers who are struggling to receive an offer and may be considering a price reduction.

About this survey

The survey for HomeLight’s Top Agent Insights Q3 2026 Report was fielded between August 25 and September 3, 2026, through an online poll of 715 top real estate agents across the country. Agents were selected to participate in the survey using the same performance data that HomeLight uses to identify top real estate agents for millions of homebuyers and sellers nationwide.

A slow-selling home can reveal where buyer interest is breaking down. Some listings attract showings but no offers, while others struggle to get buyers through the front door. In both cases, top-rated real estate agents nationwide say the response often starts with reevaluating the home’s asking price.

Plenty of showings but no offers often means the price is too high

The survey found that when potential buyers are touring a property but not making offers, 47% of agents say the asking price is likely set too high.

Condition is the next most common explanation at 19%, followed by buyers finding higher value in competing homes at 13%.

When showings are not requested and inquiries are in short supply, 58% of agents say reducing the asking price is the first change they would recommend. Perhaps surprisingly, far fewer agents say they would start by addressing condition issues (13%) or by changing the listing photos, description, or the marketing strategy (8%).

“If buyers aren’t showing up, you need to revisit price, presentation, or condition,” writes Alex Miranda, a top Miami, Florida agent with nearly 20 years of experience. “If they’re showing up but not writing offers, the gap is usually between the value they expected and what they experienced.”

He adds, “The biggest mistake is waiting too long to respond. In this market, sellers who adjust early usually have more leverage than sellers who chase the market down later.”

Trisha Vinz, a top Waukesha, Wisconsin, agent, says those signals can vary depending on market conditions.

“If we are in a more balanced market, fewer showings or inquiries are not necessarily a sign of a pricing issue. We may just have to give it more time,” she explains.

Agents recommend addressing a no-offer situation within four weeks

Surveyed agents warned that waiting too long to respond is the biggest mistake they see sellers making in the current market. 83% recommend making a “significant change” within four weeks when a house isn’t attracting serious purchase offers.

That includes 36% who recommend acting within one to two weeks and 47% who recommend making a change within three to four weeks.

The recommended timing varies by region. The survey found that agents in the Midwest are the quickest to act, with 56% recommending a change within one to two weeks, while 57% of agents in the Pacific region suggest a change within three to four weeks.

The size of a price reduction matters

Nationally, agents most commonly recommend a price reduction between 2% and 7%, with 2% to 4% being the most common range.

Another 24% of top agents say there isn’t a “standard” amount. Determining how much of a price cut is appropriate depends on the property and the market.

“I base the reduction on current market data and competing inventory, while also considering the seller’s motivation, timeline, and bottom line,” says Courtney Holman, a top agent serving Atlanta, Georgia. “The goal is to make a meaningful adjustment that improves the property’s market position while still supporting the seller’s objectives.”

If a seller is receiving offers but they are all below the asking price, agents say that is another signal sellers can use to gauge what might count as a meaningful adjustment.

“The market will tell you the present market value of your home. If several offers come in all at similar prices, then that’s the value of your home in your market at this time,” explains Mary Geier, a top agent in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Waiting too long to reduce a home’s price is the top seller mistake

When asked what sellers most often get wrong after a home has been sitting without an offer, 44% of agents nationwide point to waiting too long to reduce the price.

Another 26% point to sellers refusing to adjust their expectations, while 16% say the problem is a price reduction that is too small.

Together, 86% of agents cite mistakes in pricing and expectations, highlighting the importance of promptly responding to the market rather than waiting for buyer interest to improve on its own.

“We’re in a market with very few active buyers, which means those buyers have the luxury of choice,” says Liz Walker, a top agent in Mauston, Wisconsin. “If your home isn’t getting showings or offers, it’s almost always one of two things: the price doesn’t match today’s market, or the condition is turning buyers off. So sellers need to choose whether to lower the price or improve the condition.”

See the full report

The data shared in this post is only a small part of HomeLight’s broader Top Agent Insights for Fall 2026 report.

The full report examines what it takes to sell a home in a more price-sensitive market. Agents say accurate pricing and quick adjustments matter more than ever, while small, targeted updates often beat major renovations. They also share how affordability is reshaping seller incentives, why the strongest offer isn’t always the highest, and what can still derail a deal before closing. Full report coming soon.

About HomeLight

HomeLight is building the future of real estate — today. Our vision is a world where every real estate transaction is simple, certain, and satisfying for all. Top real estate agents and loan officers are powered by HomeLight’s platform to compete and win. Together, we deliver better outcomes to their clients during every step of the real estate journey. Our technology makes it easier to buy and sell homes, whether that’s enabling clients to buy before they sell, find a top agent, or have certainty through a modern closing process.

Each year, HomeLight facilitates billions of dollars of residential real estate business on its platform for thousands of agents and loan officers.

Founded in 2012, HomeLight is a privately held company with offices in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Dallas, and Chicago, backed by prominent investors including Zeev Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Group 11, Crosslink Capital, Bullpen Capital, Montage Ventures, Stereo Capital, Citi Ventures, Google Ventures, and others.

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