Realtor.com® Survey Finds Sellers Are Optimistic Heading Into the 2026 Spring Market
Overall 83% of potential sellers expect to get their asking price (46%) or more (37%), even as concession expectations shift and seller confidence varies by region
AUSTIN, Texas, April 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Overall, 83% of potential sellers expect to get their asking price or more according to a new survey from Realtor.com®. This survey, conducted by Realtor.com Research and Insights, found that potential sellers are heading into spring with tempered optimism, confident in their home's value, but increasingly aware of a market in transition. Three-quarters of potential sellers (74%) believe now is a good time to sell, citing strong home values, limited inventory, and stabilizing interest rates as primary drivers.
"Sellers this spring are entering the market clear-eyed — they understand their home has value, and they're motivated to act, but they're also more attuned to the reality that buyers have regained some footing," said Laura Eddy, Vice President of Research and Insights at Realtor.com®. "What's notable is how much sellers have done their homework. The vast majority have researched values, evaluated improvements, and thought carefully about timing — and that preparation is likely to serve them well during the week of April 12–18, what we consider the best week to sell."
Sellers Expect Results Despite Spring Headwinds
Potential sellers are entering the market with high price expectations: 46% believe they will receive their asking price, 37% expect more than asking, with only 12% thinking they will get less than asking price. At the same time, a growing share acknowledges the market is shifting. In 2026, 39% of potential sellers expect they will need to make concessions as a seller, up significantly from 30% in 2025, signaling a more nuanced read on market conditions compared to prior years.
When it comes to timing, 75% expect their home to sell within four months, including 27% who expect a sale within one to two months. The typical home spends 57 days on market according to the March monthly housing report from Realtor.com.
Why Sellers Are Listing
Profit potential and lifestyle change are the top motivations driving potential sellers to list. Forty-one percent cite the desire to make a profit, up from 36% in 2025, while an equal share are looking for a different neighborhood or community. The need for more space (39%) rounds out the top three reasons. Fewer sellers cited downsizing as a motivation compared to last year (20% vs. 25%), consistent with a market where lifestyle upgrades are top of mind.
Most potential sellers (8 in 10) are planning to stay within their current state, with more than half moving within the same county, a sign that local market dynamics and community ties remain central to sellers' decision-making.
A Market in Transition — And the Window to Act
Seller sentiment mirrors the broader housing landscape: 40% describe the current market as a sellers' market, while 33% see a balanced market and 27% a buyers' market. Sellers in the South and West tended to see the market as favoring buyers, which aligns with rising inventory in those regions. In contrast, almost half of potential sellers in the Northeast viewed it as a sellers' market, reflecting the area's tight inventory and strong competition. If their home doesn't sell on their desired timeline, sellers are split between reducing the price (35%), waiting out the market (34%), and withdrawing the listing entirely (29%).
That split perception reflects a housing market where local conditions vary dramatically — seen in the Realtor.com® Market Clock which analyzes key market signals like market balance, market pressure and market pace. Just 26% of the nation's 50 largest metros remain seller's markets, concentrated largely in the Midwest and Northeast, while all eight buyer's markets fall in the South or West — including Austin, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Miami.
For potential sellers, their metro's position on the Market Clock directly shapes the calculus on pricing, concessions, and timing. Sellers in peak seller markets like Hartford, Chicago, and Indianapolis can reasonably expect strong demand and limited need for price flexibility. Those in buyer markets, particularly across Florida and Texas, may want to lean into the spring window more aggressively and price competitively from the start to avoid sitting on the market as competition grows.
This range of conditions underscores the importance of timing. According to the Realtor.com® 2026 Best Time to Sell Report, the week of April 12–18 offers sellers a historically favorable window — homes listed during this period receive 16.7% more views than the average week and sell approximately nine days faster. Nationally, sellers who list this week could see a median listing price approximately $26,000 above January levels.
"The sellers who are most likely to succeed this spring are the ones who are listing a well-priced, move-in-ready home and doing so before the summer surge in competition," said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com®. "In markets where inventory is tighter — particularly across the Northeast and Midwest — motivated sellers are still in a strong position. But even in markets where supply has recovered, like parts of the South and West, the mid-April window is the optimal time to capture high-intent buyers before the market gets crowded."
Preparation Separates Confident Sellers from the Rest
Among the potential sellers surveyed, those who have taken more preparation steps tend to feel more confident about their outcome. Beyond checking home values, 54% have researched prices in their neighborhood, 50% have made small fixes or cleaned and decluttered, and 44% have determined what home improvements to make before listing — though that last figure is down from 50% in 2025. Sellers have largely been considering their move for some time: 53% have been thinking about selling for one to three years.
Survey Methodology
The Realtor.com® 2026 Best Time to Sell Seller Survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults who reported that they are considering selling their home in the next 12 months. Data was collected March 16-23, 2026. Year-over-year comparisons reference the equivalent 2025 survey.
About Realtor.com®
Realtor.com® pioneered online real estate and has been at the forefront for over 25 years, connecting buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 site trusted by real estate professionals, Realtor.com® is a valued partner, delivering consumer connections and a robust suite of marketing tools to support business growth. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp (NASDAQ:NWS, NWSA]) [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc.
Media contact: Mallory Micetich, [email protected]
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SOURCE Realtor.com