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King
County Housing Market: A Closer Look at Active Inventory and Strategic
Selling in Summer 2025 In today’s evolving real estate climate,
particularly across King 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: ·
39% of King County Active
listings have been on the market for more than 60 days. · 65% 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 10 days and an average of
23, the experience of a seller sitting at 30+ days with maybe 6 showings per
month (which 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: i.
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.! ii.
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.iii.
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 King County listings from June 1–30, 2025 reveals a striking
pattern: · 27% of homes went pending within 7 days · 7.7% were under contract within 8–14 days · Only 4.7% sold during days 15–21 · Just 3.4% 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 King
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.
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