Sellers think it’s 2022. Buyers think it’s 2008.

Confusion is the common thread among both sellers and buyers. With the unpredictable shifts and uncertainties of the last couple of years, we’ve doubled down on educating and guiding our clients through the market. And one challenge we continue to see is this dichotomy:

Sellers want the same results their neighbors experienced when they listed 2020-2022.

Buyers believe our slower market offers incredible deals (or could implode anytime), like 2008-2009.

We completely understand why you might feel that way. National news media outlets and real estate websites often rely on clickbait headlines that provide incomplete information, alarm or even fear. Here’s the sound data prospective buyers and sellers are using to succeed in their real estate goals all along the Front Range:

Selling Your Home: It is incredibly unlikely that in our lifetime we will see another “unicorn selling season” caused by a global pandemic. 2020-2022 was an extreme seller’s market where your neighbors’ homes sold for skyrocketing prices through intense bidding wars at lightning-fast speeds. We are still in the aftermath of a financial crisis, which our government is still addressing by slowing down the economy with higher mortgage rates. Our more moderate sales prices and longer days on the market are POSITIVE signs. We’re back to a healthier, calmer, more reasonable sales experience.

Yes, some communities may have seen home values dip or stall slightly over the last couple of years, but the spring market still boosted the average sales price. The only significant price drop we experienced was in Q4 of 2022 (when mortgage rates dramatically jumped to 7% for the first time in years, shocking buyers and sellers).

Our advice: Use the summer to spruce up and improve your home to boost the asking price.

Read: Is this a Buyer’s Market?

Buying, Upgrading, & Investing: After three and a half years of higher interest rates slowing down the market, the majority of buyers have come to terms with the higher payments. In 2008-2009, our market was truly flooded with listings, three times as much inventory as we have right now. That much inventory pushed the Front Range into an extreme buyer’s market that significantly decreased our average sales prices and home values. But year-over-year, our home values have stayed level or slightly grown, clearly indicating we will not experience a 2008-like crash anytime soon.

Because the Front Range is a more balanced market, not a desperate one. The sellers “begging” buyers to purchase their homes have severely overpriced their listings, or are major remodeling projects that people do not want to invest in. Buyers are more cautious to invest, more choosy if you will. So this spring, we saw homes that were priced well in desirable areas and in great condition go under contract quickly and receive a little over the asking price. Just as many sellers experienced bidding wars for their enticing homes as those who made massive price drops because they strategized incorrectly. That is a sign of a level playing field between buyers and sellers.

Our advice: Approach sellers with a win-win strategy instead of wheelin’-and-dealin’.

Read: Should You Upgrade in 2026?

Buyers certainly have more negotiating power, but the chances are still high that sellers will receive an offer within 60 days. Sellers need to adjust to the new possibilities: their homes may need to “sit” on the market to get more showings, small price reductions could benefit you, and perhaps offer concessions. Ask your RE/MAX Alliance agent for the hyperlocal, relevant market data and excellent vendors and lenders so you can successfully meet your real estate needs!

Sources: federalreserve.gov, freddiemac.com, mortgagenewsdaily.com, nationalmortgagenews.com, Megan Aller, First Title American, Home Mortgage Advisors