Snohomish County Housing Market:

A Closer Look at Active Inventory and Strategic Selling in Summer 2025

In today’s evolving real estate climate, particularly across Snohomish County, it's more important than ever to distinguish between the narrative the stats tell, and what’s actually happening on the ground. The "Days on Market" (DOM) metric for Sold listings does not reflect the broader experience of active sellers. Many homes that have already sold did so because they were priced correctly and presented beautifully. Those properties were often staged, especially clean, professionally photographed and hit the market at the right moment with the right strategy.

But Active listings tell a different story, one that speaks to missed marks, pricing missteps and lackluster presentation.

Inventory Realities: What the DOM Isn’t Telling You

Let’s start with the numbers. As of this snapshot:

·       32% of Snohomish County Active listings have been on the market for more than 60 days.

·       62% of Active listings have sat unsold for more than 30 days.

Let that sink in! While sold stats might suggest a median DOM of just 12 days and an average of 25, the experience of a seller sitting at 30+ days with maybe 6 showings per month (5.7 was the average number of showings in June) is becoming increasingly common. These properties aren't stale because homes aren’t selling, they’re lingering because they likely weren’t launched with the right pricing, prep or timing.

Seller Strategies: What to Do If You’ve Been on the Market for 30+ Days

If your home has been listed for more than a few weeks with little traction, it’s time to reassess and take action. Here are proven, broker-backed strategies to bring new life to a slow-moving listing:

1.    Refresh Your First Impression:  Ask your broker to rearrange the listing photos, especially the first image. A new hero photo (possibly a twilight shot or drone view) can grab fresh attention from buyers who’ve been scanning the same results for weeks.  Consider changing the first sentence and rewriting the public remarks.

2.    Utilize Creative Marketing Strategies:

a.      Zip Your Flyer:  Have your broker send out a “Zip Your Flyer” with Auto-Play (rotates photos when opened) and links to the Cinematic Property Video & Property Website to fellow brokers, marketing to an area where you would expect to find a buyer (cost is under $100 for over 3,000 brokers). Potentially advertise an upcoming Open House, Seller Concessions or Improved Price, etc.!

b.      Post Listing on Facebook Marketplace:  It’s free and allows you to upload many photos, a listing video and information about the property. The broker can also boost it for more views and potentially generate interest. The broker can also renew the listing weekly within limits.

c.       Post on Social Media:  Post cinematic video and/or create static posts or slideshows advertising Just Listed, Open Houses, Price Improvements, Seller Concessions (2/1 Buydown, etc.) on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.

3.    Strategic, Modest Price Adjustments:  Even a small price drop, say $5,000, can trigger renewed activity. The NWMLS automatically distributes your listing with a reduced price, to all buyers with saved search alerts for that price range, often resulting in a new wave of views and showing requests.

4.    The 60-Day Pause Strategy:  In some cases, pulling your listing for 60 days may be smart, particularly after the critical first 14-30 days have passed without results. Once re-listed after that window, both DOM and CDOM reset, and your home reappears as “new” to buyer searches.

Yes, the cost of holding staging is a factor. But consider the alternative: continued carrying costs, stale perception and potentially deeper price cuts down the road.

Timing Is Everything: What the Data Shows

An analysis of Snohomish County listings from June 1-30, 2025 reveals a striking pattern:

·       24% of homes went pending within 7 days

·       9% were under contract within 8-14 days

·       Only 7.4% sold during days 15-21 days

·       Just 5% went pending during days 22-28

Put simply, your best chance to sell, and to sell well, is within the first 14 days of listing. If you haven’t generated strong interest in that window, you should pivot quickly and proactively.

Opportunities for Buyers: Negotiation Power on Aged Listings

For buyers, homes that have lingered for 30 to 60+ days present real value and negotiation leverage.

These listings often come with:

·       Price reductions already in place

·       Flexible sellers who may be more open to:

o   2/1 interest rate buydowns

o   Closing cost concessions

o   Extended inspection contingencies

o   Further price negotiations based on inspection findings

This isn’t the fast-paced, bidding-war-heavy market of 2021. Today’s buyers can approach aged listings with confidence and room to negotiate, especially if they’ve done their homework.

Final Thoughts: Market Savvy Is the Real Advantage

The current Snohomish County market demands more than listing a home and waiting. It requires strategy, timing and attention to detail. Sellers who partner with brokers skilled in market repositioning, pricing psychology and visual marketing are the ones walking away with the best terms.

Buyers, on the other hand, have opportunities, especially with older listings, to get creative with their offers and optimize their financing in ways not possible a few years ago.

Whether buying or selling, understanding market behavior beyond the surface numbers is what will help you win.

Snohomish County Market Snapshot | 30July 2025

Strategic Shifts in a Rebalancing Market 

Inventory Trends | More Choice, Measured Pace

The summer market in Snohomish County is shifting gears. Over the past week, 162 new listings hit the market, while 130 homes went pending, reflecting a subtle softening in buyer urgency. Inventory has edged up to 1.9 months of supply. While this still reflects a seller-leaning market, it offers buyers more breathing room and negotiating power than we’ve seen in recent months.

Sales Velocity | Timing and Presentation Still Rule

Homes that are thoughtfully priced and show well continue to attract strong early interest. In fact, 26% of homes listed in early July received offers within 7 days. Looking back to mid-to-late June, 36% of homes went pending within the first two weeks. However, the median days on market for sold listings has increased to 12, with an average of 25 days, highlighting the growing divide between well-positioned homes and those that miss the mark.

Buyer Behavior | More Contingencies, Less Competition

Between July 23rd and 29th, only 27% of listings with mutually accepted contracts experienced bidding wars, a notable shift from recent months. Most buyers (73%) faced no competition at all. This more balanced environment has ushered back contingencies, with inspection addendums appearing in 50% of offers and financing contingencies included in 75%. Buyers are engaging thoughtfully, often negotiating terms rather than rushing to meet seller demands.

Pricing Outcomes | The Market Rewards Accuracy, Not Optimism

In the last 30 days, 30% of homes sold over list price, but only 7% by more than 5%. Just 2% exceeded list by 10% or more and only 1% achieved a premium of 15% or above listing price. Notably, 42% of homes sold below their asking price. These figures make it clear: sellers who overprice risk prolonged market time, price reductions and fewer showings, averaging just six per listing in June.

What This Means for You

Snohomish County’s market is no longer operating on urgency, it’s running on precision. Buyers are cautious, savvy and empowered. Sellers must lead with strategy: accurate pricing, thoughtful staging and strong marketing that will drive results. The early days on market remain the most critical and homes that make the right first impression are still finding success, even in a more tempered market.

If you’re thinking about selling or buying in today’s market, timing and preparation are everything. Let’s talk about a strategy tailored to your goals.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this version of Stats by Kat. Please feel free to reach out. I value your questions and comments! And don’t forget to follow me on Social Media (links are below), as the most up to date information on our real estate market will also be covered in my most recent videos. And check out a variety of playlists on my YouTube Channel.

Tips for Sellers & Buyers

Since I’ve started creating content in 2023, I’ve put together several hundred videos to help Buyers and Sellers navigate our local real estate market. Here are a couple of the more popular Playlists:

Real Estate Tips for Sellers

Real Estate Tips for Buyers

Katherine Howard | Broker
Windermere Real Estate/HLC
13901 NE 175th Street | Suite 100
Woodinville, WA 98072

Replace this text with your content