Should You Still Expect a Bidding War?

If you’re still anxious about running into bidding wars when purchasing a home, you may be able to set some of those worries aside.

While multiple-offer situations haven’t disappeared completely, they’re far less frequent than they used to be. In fact, a recent survey found that only about 1 in 5 homes (20%) across the country received multiple offers in June 2025.

That’s a noticeable drop from nearly 1 in 3 (31%) during the same month last year, and even further down from June 2023, when 39% of homes attracted competing bids (see chart below):

This trend indicates you’ll likely face less competition in today’s market. That gives you more breathing room to make choices and better opportunities to negotiate pricing or terms.

It Still Varies by Location

Of course, national averages don’t tell the whole story. Local market conditions play a big role. A second chart, using data from John Burns Research & Consulting (JBREC) and Keeping Current Matters (KCM), highlights how this plays out region by region. While multiple offers are down overall, some areas are still experiencing higher levels of competition:

For example, in the Northeast, about 34% of homes (roughly 1 in 3) are still receiving multiple offers—well above the national rate. On the other hand, in the Southeast, only around 6% of homes face bidding wars.

The main factor behind these differences is inventory. Regions where housing supply is especially tight still see stronger competition and higher pressure on prices. Areas with more available listings are cooling off, leading to fewer bidding wars.

Sellers Are Becoming More Flexible

Another sign of how the market has shifted comes from Redfin data, which shows that nearly half of sellers are offering concessions. These include covering part of the buyer’s closing costs or adjusting their asking price to finalize a sale.

That’s a big contrast from just a few years ago when sellers rarely budged and buyers often had to waive inspections or appraisals to compete. Today, buyers have more leverage than they’ve had in quite some time.

Still, how common these concessions are depends on the area—making local expertise essential when you’re house hunting.

Bottom Line

If the fear of bidding wars has kept you from moving forward, it may be time to reconsider. Competition has cooled nationally, and in some regions, it has dropped sharply. On top of that, more sellers are willing to negotiate, giving today’s buyers greater flexibility and opportunity.

Curious about what conditions look like in your area? Let’s connect.