Hot take: Peak homebuying season is overrated.

Sure, summer makes sense if you have kids in school. But wait until fall, and your patience often pays off. With less competition, buyers have more negotiating power.

This year, fall buyers have another advantage: Growing inventory. Housing supply hasn’t been this plentiful since May 2020.

If you didn’t luck out during your summer house hunt, be grateful. This fall just might be the best window for home buyers in the past five years. Here’s why.

Competition has calmed down

Back in 2021 and 2022, it felt nearly impossible to buy a house. Few places were listed for sale, thanks in part to the “rate lock-in effect” — homeowners clinging to their ultra-low mortgage rates. When a good listing popped up, buyers entered rabid bidding wars.

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