What Days On Market Can Really Tell You About a Listing

The Weekly Recap

Good morning and happy Friday! Hope you enjoyed your short week. Mamdani threatens to raise property taxes (which he can’t do unilaterally) if the Governor does not increase taxes on the wealthy (whish she said she wont do), Fed officials are split on where rates should go next following the release of their January meeting minutes. Gold had a bounce back week, the free continental breakfast at your next hotel stay may be in danger and a $525k US flag that was draped over Lincoln’s Casket can now be found in a local steakhouse.

If you missed last weeks newsletter on How Many Real Estate Markets Are There? you can read that through the link.

What Days on Market Can Really Tell You About A Listing

Days on Market (DOM) is one of the most cited statistics in real estate, and one of the most misunderstood. At face value, it seems simple that the longer a home sits on the market, the weaker the demand must be. In reality, DOM is far more nuanced, and interpreting it correctly can make the difference between selling efficiently and unintentionally giving up leverage.

Context absolutely matters. For a property that goes under contract in 14 days in one neighborhood may be considered slow in another, while 45 days could be completely normal elsewhere. Real estate is hyper-local, and days on market must always be viewed through the lens of comparable homes, price points, and buyer behavior within a specific micro-market.

Secondly, DOM often reflects strategy more than sentiment. Homes that are priced correctly and launched with a strong marketing plan tend to attract early attention and urgency. Listings that miss the mark on pricing, even a little bit, can stall, not because buyers aren’t interested, but because they’re waiting for a correction. Once a listing lingers, buyers begin to assume leverage, regardless of the home’s true value.

Third, not all “days” are created equal. Early days on market are the most powerful. This is when serious buyers are watching closely, showings peak, and competitive dynamics are most likely to form. Momentum also matters. A home that fails to capitalize on this initial window (really the first 30 days) often requires price adjustments or concessions later to reengage the market.

Lastly, days on market should be viewed as a diagnostic tool, not a verdict. Rising days on market don’t automatically mean something is wrong with your home, but they do signal that one of three variables may need adjustment: price, presentation, or exposure. Identifying which lever to pull, and when, is where experienced guidance matters most.

The goal isn’t to sell as fast as possible, it’s to sell efficiently, with maximum leverage, and on your terms. Understanding what days on market is truly telling you allows us to do exactly that.

Market Performance

Here are how some other indexes and asset classes have performed as of this morning’s opening bell.

NYC Market Update

Here is a view of NYC market activity over the past week.

Mortgage Rate Update

Mortgage rates dropped again this week, now down to their lowest level since September of 2022. The lower rate environment is not only improving affordability for prospective homebuyers, it’s also strengthening the financial position of homeowners. Over the past year, refinance application activity has more than doubled, enabling many recent buyers to reduce their annual mortgage payments by thousands of dollars.

News You Can Use

• Fed Reveals Surprise Shift as Several Officials Split on Future Cuts Bloomberg

• Mamdani Warns of Nearly 10% Property-Tax Boost if No Tax on Wealthy Wall Street Journal

• Mamdani Threatens to Hike NYC Property Tax to Fill Budget Hole Bloomberg

• Fed Officials Split on Where Interest Rates Should Go CNBC

• Traders’ ‘Massive’ Options Play Contrasts With Fed Hike Talk Bloomberg

• Real Estate Secondaries Hit Record $20 Billion in 2025 Secondary Link

• Banks Pounce on M&A Revival With $100 Billion of Buyout Debt Bloomberg

• Gold Rises Above $4,900 as Dip-Buyers Come in Amid Thin Trade Bloomberg

• From Hyatt to Holiday Inn, America’s Free Hotel Breakfast is Facing a K-Shaped Economic Threat CNBC

• $525k Flag the Covered Abraham Lincoln’s Casket Finds a New Home in a NYC Steakhouse NY Post

The Deep Insight

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