You Can’t Have It Both Ways: Why the Housing Market Is Either for Buyers or Sellers. Never Both

You Can’t Have It Both Ways: Why the Housing Market Is Either for Buyers or Sellers, Never Both.

In every real estate conversation—around kitchen tables, in comment sections, and across social media—one phrase comes up again and again: “It’s a great market for both buyers and sellers.” It sounds reassuring. Balanced. Safe.

It’s also misleading.

The truth is simple, even if the market itself feels anything but: real estate cannot be a buyer’s market and a seller’s market at the same time. The two are opposites, driven by supply, demand, and pricing power. When one side has the advantage, the other is making concessions. There’s no version of the market where everyone wins equally.

What a Buyer’s Market Really Means

In a buyer’s market, inventory is high and demand is lower. Homes sit longer. Price reductions become common. Sellers compete for attention, often offering concessions like closing cost credits, repairs, or flexible terms.

For buyers, this is where leverage lives:

• More negotiating power
  
  
• Fewer bidding wars
  
  
• Lower purchase prices
  
  
• Time to think instead of rush
  
  

But that leverage comes at a cost—to sellers. Homes may sell for less than expected, take longer to close, or require compromises that wouldn’t be necessary in a different market cycle.

What a Seller’s Market Actually Looks Like

Flip the script, and you have a seller’s market. Inventory is tight. Demand is strong. Buyers compete for limited options.

This is when sellers see:

• Multiple offers
  
  
• Escalation clauses
  
  
• Waived contingencies
  
  
• Prices pushed above asking
  
  

It’s fast, competitive, and often emotional for buyers. And while sellers benefit from top-dollar pricing and favorable terms, buyers pay for that advantage through higher prices, fewer protections, and pressure to move quickly.

Why the “Best of Both Worlds” Narrative Falls Apart

The idea that buyers can get great deals while sellers are getting top dollar defies basic economics. If prices are low and negotiable, sellers aren’t winning. If prices are climbing and competition is fierce, buyers aren’t getting bargains.

What can happen and often causes confusion is a transitional or uneven market:

• One price point favors buyers, another favors sellers
  
  
• One neighborhood cools while another heats up
  
  
• Well-priced homes sell fast while overpriced ones linger
  
  

But even then, the advantage isn’t shared evenly. It’s segmented, not simultaneous.

Why This Distinction Matters

Understanding who truly has leverage changes everything:

• How buyers write offers
  
  
• How sellers price their homes
  
  
• When clients choose to move—or wait
  
  

When expectations don’t match reality, frustration follows. Buyers feel misled. Sellers feel disappointed. Clear strategy starts with an honest read of the market not a feel good headline.

The Bottom Line

Real estate markets move in cycles. Sometimes buyers hold the cards. Sometimes sellers do. But it’s never both at once.

The smartest moves happen when people stop chasing comforting narratives and start responding to what the market is actually doing. Because success in real estate doesn’t come from believing everyone wins—it comes from knowing who has the advantage and acting accordingly.