An important factor shaping todays market is the number of homes for sale. And, if youre considering whether or not to list your house, thats one of the biggest advantages you have right now. When housing inventory is this low, your house will stand out, especially if its priced right.
But there are some early signs that more listings are coming. According to the latest data, new listings (homeowners who just put their house up for sale) are trending up. Heres a look at why this is noteworthy and what it may mean for you.
More Homes Are Coming onto the Market than Usual
Its well known that the busiest time in the housing market each year is the spring buying season. Thats why theres a predictable increase in the volume of newly listed homes throughout the first half of the year. Sellers are anticipating this and ramping up for the months when buyers are most active. But, as the school year kicks off and as the holidays approach, the market cools. Its whats expected.
But heres whats surprising. Based on the latest data from Realtor.com, theres an increase in the number of sellers listing their houses later this year than usual. A peak this late in the year isnt typical. You can see both the normal seasonal trend and the unusual August in the graph below:
As Realtor.com explains:
While inventory continues to be in short supply, August witnessed an unusual uptick in newly listed homes compared to July, hopefully signaling a return in seller activity heading toward the fall season . . .
While this is only one month of data, its unusual enough to note. Its still too early to say for sure if this trend will continue, but its something youll want to stay ahead of if it does.
What This Means for You
If youve been putting off selling your house, now may be the sweet spot to make your move. Thats because, if this trend continues, youll have more competition the longer you wait. And if your neighbor puts their house up for sale too, it means you may have to share buyers attention with that other homeowner. If you sell now, you can beat your neighbors to the punch.
But, even with more homes coming onto the market, the market is still well below normal supply levels. And, that inventory deficit isnt going to be reversed overnight. The graph below helps put this into context, so you can see the opportunity you still have now: 
Bottom Line
Even though inventory is still low, you dont want to wait for more competition to pop up in your neighborhood. You still have an incredible opportunity if you sell your house today. Connect with a real estate agent to explore the benefits of selling now before more homes come to the market.
