Real Estate

Buyers Gain Leverage as Sellers Outnumber Buyers by 47.1% in December

December 2025 delivered a market-shifting read: sellers outnumber buyers by 47.1%, the largest gap since 2013. The gap reflects rising supply and slowing demand, with about 1.97 million listings and 1.34 million buyers — down 5.9% from November — signaling a buyer-dominant potential on terms, even as affordability remains a constraint.

Buyers Gain Leverage as Sellers Outnumber Buyers by 47.1% in December

Key Takeaways

  • December 2025 gap: 47.1% more sellers than buyers, largest since 2013.
  • Buyers: ~1.34 million; down 5.9% MoM; lowest on record dating to 2013.
  • Sellers: ~1.97 million listings; down 1.1% MoM.
  • Realtor.com threshold for a buyer's market is >10% gap, a condition in place since May 2024.
  • Regional hotspots: Austin +128%, Fort Lauderdale +125%, Nashville +111%, Miami +103%, San Antonio +103%.

People Involved

  • Jason HaberCo-founder, American Real Estate Association

Entities Involved

  • Realtor.comData provider for housing inventory and market balance
  • Fox BusinessSource summarizing December 2025 figures
  • American Real Estate AssociationIndustry association associated with Jason Haber

MarketMoodz Analysis

For investors, the shift toward a buyer's market changes the risk-reward in housing exposure. With supply outpacing demand and a 47.1% gap, buyers gain leverage on price negotiations, lenders may scrutinize terms more closely, and regional winners and losers emerge as the five hotspots show outsized gaps.

Historically, Realtor.com's threshold for a buyer's market has persisted since May 2024, marking a structural shift in housing dynamics as inventory remains elevated relative to demand. The December reading implies that affordability pressure persists even as inventory turns over more slowly; investors should watch mortgage-rate trajectories, regional inventory movements, and MLS delisting trends to gauge where pricing may adjust next.

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