Step aside, spring. Fall and winter bring a second home shopping season, and it can be a better one for buyers than many people realize. Spring gets the attention as the traditional busy season, but the end of the year often brings plenty of choices, more flexible pricing, and builders who are ready to make a deal. If you didn't find a home this spring, you haven't missed your chance.
Most people don't get to pick when they move. "People buy homes when their lives change, not when the market says they should," says Ali Wolf, chief economist at NewHomeSource and Zonda. "A new job, a growing family, or a move closer to loved ones can put someone in the market at any time of year. Buyers who find themselves shopping in the fall or winter are often surprised to learn how many new homes and deals may be available to them."
Mortgage rates have moved higher, and that has plenty of shoppers holding off. Still, NewHomeSource data shows the end of the year tends to bring plenty of homes to choose from, homes selling further below list price, and builders who are more open to negotiating. Here's what shoppers searching for a home need to know.
Builders Are Motivated Right Now
Publicly traded home builders report their financial results through the end of the year, which adds pressure to sell homes before the books close. Soft demand adds more pressure. In a new Zonda survey, 85% of builders said demand in September was slower than expected, even after accounting for typical seasonal trends.
That combination can work in buyers' favor. Some builders are responding by offering mortgage rate buydowns, where the builder pays to lower interest rates. Others are cutting prices outright. In fact, price cuts were twice as common in September as they were in May—40% of builders reported cutting prices in September, compared with 20% in May.
More Homes to Choose From
Quick move-in homes are new homes that are already built or expected to be finished within 90 days. Buyers that need to move soon can skip the months-long wait of building from scratch. Plus, builders usually want to sell these homes quickly so they aren't paying carrying costs and can meet their year-end goals.
These homes tend to become more plentiful toward the end of the year. In nearly every year since 2019, there were more quick move-in homes on the market in the fourth quarter than in the second quarter. The exception was 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic sent buyers flocking to new homes as their lifestyle needs suddenly changed.
New-home listings overall also grow at a fairly steady pace throughout the year while existing homes follow a more cyclical pattern. Resale inventory rose 8% month over month in May 2025, then fell about 9% in December. So while resale options may thin out in winter, new homes keep coming onto the market.
Homes Are More Likely to Sell Under List Price
Pricing trends gets friendlier for buyers late in the year, too. In December 2025, the average new home sold for 4.8% below its list price. In June, the gap was just 2.8%. On a $400,000 home, that's an $8,000 difference.
"Late in the year, the list price is more of a starting point than a final answer," Wolf says. "A couple of percentage points looks small on paper but adds up to real money. When builders are focused on hitting their year-end goals, buyers who come prepared can approach the sale from a stronger position."
A Slower Pace Creates More Chances to Sweeten the Deal
Builders often gauge how they're doing by the number of homes each community sells per month, known as the sales rate. That pace tends to slow at the end of the year. In December 2025, builders averaged 1.9 sales per community, below the full-year average of 2.2 and the March peak of 2.6. The year before showed a similar pattern, with 2.1 sales in December compared with a full-year average of 2.5.
When sales slow down, builders may be more willing to offer incentives to close a deal. Those can include:
Mortgage rate buydowns that lower monthly payments
Closing cost credits that reduce what buyers pay upfront
Design upgrades, such as better finishes or features at no extra cost
Price cuts
How to Make the Most of Shopping This Season
For buyers searching in the fall or winter, a little preparation goes a long way.
Ask about quick move-in homes.
Builders are often eager to sell homes that are already finished or close to it, and buyers don’t have to wait to move in.
Ask what incentives are available.
Don't assume the list price or the advertised offer is final.
Compare offers by total cost.
A rate buydown, closing cost credit, and price cut can each save money in different ways, so look at how each one affects the upfront costs and monthly payment.
Get financing lined up early.
Coming in prepared puts buyers in a stronger position when it's time to negotiate.
"The best advice for buyers is to stay engaged," Wolf says. "The housing market doesn't close for the holidays, and patience this time of year is often rewarded."
For more advice on buying a new home, check out New Home 101: Buying Your New Home.
