Clarity

Before the holidays, the first price sets the calendar

When a home is priced right from the start, it tends to move quickly. When it isn't, the wait can stretch longer than most sellers expect, and this time of year that wait runs straight into the holidays.

What September showed us

In September 2026, Rockwall County homes that sold without a price reduction had an accepted offer in a median of 20 days. Homes that needed a price reduction took a median of 97 days. That's 77 more days, roughly two and a half extra months of mortgage payments, utilities, yard work and keeping the house ready for showings.

Days on market here means the time from the day a home is listed to the day an offer is accepted.

Why the calendar matters right now

Count forward from a listing in late October:

• 20 days lands in mid November, before Thanksgiving.
• 97 days lands at the end of January, after Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year.

The holidays are full of travel and family time, and a home that misses its first wave of fall buyers may end up waiting out the whole season.

If you're selling this fall

• Start with the recent sales closest to your home, not the highest price on your street.
• Look at what you're competing with right now. Buyers compare every home in their price range.
• Make your first two weeks count. That's when interest is highest.

If you're buying

A home that has been on the market since summer may belong to a seller who is ready to talk about price, closing costs or timing. Ask how long it has been listed and whether the price has changed.

Want your own numbers?

Every neighborhood moves a little differently. If you'd like to know what homes like yours are doing, email me and I'll pull them for you.

Source: KW Inspire Network (Inspire Intelligence), NTREIS data, Rockwall County, all property types, September 2026.