You’re scrolling through homes in Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, or another East Valley community.
You find one you really like. The kitchen works. The neighborhood looks great. Maybe it even has the backyard or extra room you’ve been hoping to find.
Then you see the asking price.
And you keep scrolling.
Before you automatically decide that home is out of reach, there is something important to understand about today’s East Valley real estate market:
The asking price is where the conversation starts. It is not always where it ends.
Today's East Valley Buyer May Have More Room To Negotiate
The Phoenix Metro market has changed from the highly competitive conditions buyers experienced a few years ago. In many communities and price ranges, buyers now have more choices and may have more room to negotiate.
Recent Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler market data helps put that change into perspective:
- Active listings were up about 5.2% compared with a year earlier.
- About 27.6% of listings had experienced a price reduction.
- The median time on market was about 67 days.
Those numbers do not mean every seller is willing to negotiate. A desirable home that is priced correctly can still attract strong buyer interest and may sell quickly.
But they do tell us something important: buyers should not assume the asking price tells the entire story.
Look Beyond the Asking Price
When I help a buyer evaluate a property, I do not want to look at the asking price by itself.
I want to know:
- How long has the home been on the market?
- Has the price already been reduced?
- How does the price compare with recent sales nearby?
- Are there competing offers?
- Has the home previously gone under contract and returned to the market?
- What other homes are competing with it?
- Are there clues that the seller may be ready to negotiate?
Those details can tell us much more about the opportunity than the number displayed at the top of the listing.
More Than 1 in 4 Phoenix Metro Listings Had a Price Reduction
This is one local statistic buyers should pay attention to.
About 27.6% of active listings in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro had a price reduction in the latest data.
A price reduction does not automatically mean there is something wrong with the house.
Sometimes a seller simply entered the market with expectations that were higher than what today’s buyers were willing to pay. If buyers have other choices, they can pass over a property they believe is overpriced.
Eventually, the seller may decide to adjust.
That is why I pay attention to price history.
A home that did not make sense at its original asking price may deserve another look after the seller makes an adjustment.
Seller Concessions Can Be Just as Important as Price
There is another opportunity buyers sometimes overlook.
Negotiating does not always have to mean getting the seller to reduce the purchase price.
Depending on the transaction and financing, a seller may be willing to contribute toward certain buyer closing costs or other allowable expenses.
For some buyers, a seller concession may provide a greater immediate benefit than negotiating the same amount off the purchase price.
This is where your real estate agent and lender should work together.
Before deciding what to ask the seller for, we should understand which negotiating strategy may actually benefit you the most.
67 Days on Market Changes the Conversation
The median Phoenix Metro listing spent about 67 days on the market in the latest data.
That does not mean every home will sit for 67 days. Some homes sell much faster, particularly when they are well presented, correctly priced, and located in highly desirable areas.
But it does give buyers another reason to look beyond the newest listings.
A seller whose home has been available for several weeks may be having a different conversation today than when the property first came on the market.
Maybe there has already been a price adjustment. Maybe other buyers chose competing properties. Or maybe the seller is simply ready to get the transaction completed.
We should never assume we know a seller's motivation. But we can study the property's history and determine whether there may be an opportunity to start a conversation.
Don't Ignore the Homes Other Buyers Have Stopped Watching
It is natural to get excited about a brand-new listing.
But I also like looking at homes that have been on the market for a while.
With active Phoenix Metro inventory higher than a year ago, buyers have more properties competing for their attention.
That can create an interesting opportunity.
A good home can get overlooked simply because it was originally priced too high, the photographs did not attract enough attention, or buyers became focused on newer listings.
Sometimes the opportunity isn't the house that was listed this morning. It is the house everyone else stopped watching.
You Don't Know What a Seller Will Accept Until You Make an Offer
A listing price is not a rejection.
If you love a home but believe the asking price is higher than the market supports, we can look at comparable sales and the property's history to determine whether there is a reasonable basis for a different offer.
The seller can accept it, reject it, or make a counteroffer.
But automatically eliminating a home without understanding the circumstances means you may never discover whether there was an opportunity.
Not Every Home Will Be Negotiable
This is where local market knowledge matters.
I would never tell a buyer that every East Valley seller is ready to negotiate simply because overall inventory has increased.
A newly listed home in excellent condition and priced correctly may receive significant buyer interest. In that situation, submitting an overly aggressive offer could cause you to lose a home you really wanted.
A home that has been sitting on the market, competing against several similar properties, or already experiencing price adjustments may call for an entirely different approach.
Good negotiation is not about automatically offering less. It is about understanding when you have leverage and using it wisely.
Don't Shop by Asking Price Alone
Affordability matters. Your monthly housing expense matters. And I never want a buyer stretching beyond a budget that makes sense for their life.
But I also do not want you assuming homeownership is impossible simply because the asking prices you see online look intimidating.
There may be more to the story.
A price adjustment could change the numbers. A seller concession could help with allowable costs. A home that has been overlooked may provide negotiating room. Or we may find another property that simply offers better value.
The goal is not to find a seller who will give something away. The goal is to recognize when today’s market gives you an opportunity to negotiate a fair deal.
Let's Look for the Opportunity, Not Just the Listing
If you are thinking about buying in Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, or another East Valley community, do not let the asking price on a screen make the decision for you.
Let's look at the home's history, recent comparable sales, competition, days on market, price adjustments, and current market conditions.
Then we can decide whether the home is truly outside your budget—or whether there may be an opportunity worth pursuing.
You may be surprised by what is possible when you know where to look and what to ask for.
Contact me here and let's look for your East Valley opportunity.
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Kip Wilkins REALTOR® | Equities Real Estate, LLC Phone: 208-915-9606 |
I believe real estate is about relationships, trust, and helping people make confident decisions. Whether you are buying your first home, moving up, downsizing, or preparing to sell, my goal is to educate you, advocate for your best interests, and provide the local knowledge you need to make an informed decision.
Kip Wilkins is a licensed REALTOR® with Equities Real Estate, LLC. REALTOR® is a registered trademark of the National Association of REALTORS®. Equal Housing Opportunity. Seller concessions are subject to seller agreement, applicable financing requirements, appraisal considerations, and other transaction-specific limitations. Market conditions vary by community, property, and price range. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler market statistics referenced are based on recent Realtor.com Economic Research data and may change over time. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified.