📲 Don’t let winter market myths or hidden fees keep you from your dream home!

Download the Made 4 More app to see the most accurate listings, spot motivated sellers, and find the best deals this January—without your info being sold. Get started today!

If you’ve been telling yourself, “I’ll wait until spring,” you might want to hit pause on that plan. While spring gets all the hype, January quietly offers some of the best opportunities for buyers who care about value, leverage, and less stress. And yes—data backs this up.

Let’s break down why January deserves a serious look if buying a home is on your radar.

Lower Prices Aren’t a Myth—They’re a Pattern

January consistently shows up as one of the most affordable months to buy a home. According to LendingTree, it’s often the month with the lowest price per square foot all year. Why? Demand is lighter, urgency is lower, and sellers don’t have bidding wars doing the heavy lifting for them.

In real terms, buyers who close in January can save tens of thousands compared to peak spring months. For an average-sized home, that difference can be the equivalent of a kitchen remodel, a rate buydown, or simply breathing room in your budget.

Curious how much you could save? Based on last year’s data, buyers of a typical 1,500 sq ft home who closed in January spent about $23,000 less than those who bought in May—and this pattern tends to repeat annually (see chart below).

Think of January like shopping off-season. Same product—better price.

Fewer Buyers = More Power for You

Winter naturally thins the buyer pool. People are busy with holidays, weather, and routines, so many pause their home search. That slowdown works in your favor.

Here’s what fewer buyers usually mean:

• Less competition
  
  
• Fewer multiple-offer situations
  
  
• More time to think (and negotiate)
  
  
• Sellers who are actually motivated
  
  

When a home is listed in January, it’s rarely “just to test the market.” These sellers often have timelines—and that gives buyers leverage. Negotiating price, closing costs, repairs, or even interest rate concessions becomes far more realistic.

Motivated Sellers Are the Hidden Advantage

Winter sellers are different. They’re relocating, downsizing, upsizing, or dealing with life changes that don’t wait for spring. With fewer showings and less foot traffic, they’re more open to meaningful conversations.

That could mean:

• Price adjustments
  
  
• Closing cost credits
  
  
• Repair concessions
  
  
• Flexible timelines
  
  

In other words, deals that feel impossible in April suddenly become possible in January.

Should You Still Wait for Spring?

Spring brings more listings—but it also brings more buyers, more competition, and higher prices. Waiting doesn’t always mean “better.” Sometimes it just means more expensive and more stressful.

January buyers often win simply because they showed up early.

If you want breathing room, negotiation power, and a calmer buying experience, winter might be your moment.

Bottom Line: Quiet Markets Reward Prepared Buyers

January isn’t slow—it’s strategic. If you’re ready financially and mentally, this time of year can offer lower prices, motivated sellers, and fewer bidding wars.

If you want to explore what buying this winter could look like for you, call or text us at 855-935-MORE. Let’s see what opportunities are quietly waiting.