Home Sellers Outnumber Buyers by Record Margin in August: Report

The U.S. housing market tilted further in buyers’ favor in August, with sellers outnumbering buyers by the widest margin in Redfin records dating back to 2013.

There were an estimated 1.53 million home sellers nationwide in August, compared with about 972,300 buyers, according to an analysis released on Sept. 10 by real estate brokerage Redfin.

That meant there were 57.9 percent more sellers than buyers, a big jump from an upwardly revised 52.1 percent gap in July.

Unlike the previous month, when falling demand drove much of the imbalance, August’s widening gap was fueled mainly by an increase in homes for sale.

The number of sellers jumped 3.9 percent from July, the largest monthly increase in Redfin’s records and the highest number of sellers since early 2020.

The number of buyers, meanwhile, rose just 0.1 percent from July, when it had fallen to a record low.

“With sellers piling into the market and demand falling flat, today’s house hunters can afford to be choosy,” said Asad Khan, a senior economist at Redfin.

Khan said buyers in many markets should consider negotiating over price and asking sellers for concessions such as repairs or help with closing costs.

Sun Belt Leads Buyer’s Markets

Redfin considers a market a buyer’s market when sellers outnumber buyers by more than 10 percent.

By that measure, 36 of the 49 major metropolitan areas analyzed by the company were buyer’s markets in August. All 10 of the strongest were in the Sun Belt.

Nashville ranked as the strongest buyer’s market, with 139 percent more sellers than buyers. Miami followed at 138 percent, while Houston had 131 percent more sellers.

They were followed by Orlando at 122 percent, Las Vegas at 117 percent, San Antonio at 116 percent, Austin at 115 percent, and Dallas at 108 percent.

Five of those metropolitan areas—Nashville, Houston, Orlando, Las Vegas, and Dallas—posted their largest seller surpluses on record.

Redfin said many of the strongest buyer’s markets are in areas that saw significant homebuilding during and after the pandemic housing boom.

Texas, Florida, and Nashville continue to have active construction pipelines, adding new homes even as demand has weakened.

In Miami, meanwhile, high home prices have been compounded by rising insurance premiums, homeowners association fees, and other ownership costs.

Just five major metros were classified as seller’s markets: Nassau County, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; Milwaukee; and San Francisco.

Affordability Still Keeps Buyers on Sidelines

Even as listings increase, elevated borrowing costs and home prices have been keeping many prospective buyers out of the market.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage was 6.76 percent for the week ending Sept. 10, according to Freddie Mac. That was up from 6.71 percent the previous week and 6.35 percent a year earlier.

Home prices continued to rise despite weaker sales. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median existing-home price was $429,100 in August, up 1.6 percent from a year earlier and marking the 38th consecutive month of annual price gains.

Total housing inventory rose to 1.62 million units in August, up 3.2 percent from July and 5.9 percent from a year earlier, NAR reported.

It was the first time since November 2019 that inventory exceeded 1.6 million units.

At the current sales pace, the available inventory represented a 4.9-month supply, up from 4.6 months in both July and August 2025. That was the highest level in more than a decade.