What rising inventory means for buyers this autumn

Inventory in our four markets is up roughly nineteen per cent on this time last year. That sounds like a buyer's market, and in two of the four it is. In the other two it mostly means the wrong homes are sitting.

Why the reason matters

A rise in listings caused by more sellers entering the market gives buyers real leverage. A rise caused by homes failing to sell at asking price gives buyers leverage only on those specific homes — and usually for a reason.

What we are telling buyers

Look at days-on-market per street, not per city. In Portland's inner east, well-priced houses are still going in under two weeks. Three miles out, the same house sits for forty days.