Double Diamond Housing Market: Firm Home Prices, but Buyers Are More Selective

The Double Diamond housing market is best described as a selective market, not a runaway seller’s market. Home prices are still holding up in key ways, but demand has cooled enough that sellers do not have broad pricing power. Buyers are still paying close to asking for the right homes, yet more listings are taking longer to sell and fewer deals are closing than a year ago. The clearest pattern this month is simple: well-positioned homes can still command strong prices, but overpriced listings are more likely to stall.

Buyers are still paying close to asking in Double Diamond, but that still does not point to a frenzied market.

Closed sales fell to 32 this month from 41 in the same month last year, a 22% drop. That means fewer buyers are following through, even with home prices staying relatively firm.

Homes are taking longer to sell, giving buyers more time to compare listings and negotiate.

Pending sales slipped to 35 this month from 42 in the same month last year, down 17%. That suggests demand is softer before deals even close.

The price picture is mixed but still firm overall. Price per square foot rose about 6% from a year ago to roughly $345, showing buyers are still paying up for some homes, even as the median home price fell about 4% to roughly $552,000 and only 19% of homes sold above asking.

The market slowed modestly this month. Closed sales fell from 35 last month to 32 this month, and pending sales also moved lower from 41 to 35.

Homes took longer to sell. That is another sign buyers are moving more carefully.

Asking prices stayed high, even as new listing price per square foot softened and remained about 7% below the same month last year.

Buyers did not become more aggressive.

Inventory was essentially flat, so this month’s shift was more about buyer selectivity than a big change in supply.

Be selective, but do not assume every seller is ready to discount. In Double Diamond, buyers now have more time and more negotiating room on the wrong listings because homes are taking longer to sell and fewer are going above asking.

Move quickly when a home is well-priced, updated, and clearly competitive for the neighborhood. Those listings can still attract strong offers and hold their value. On homes that have been sitting or seem priced to test the market, patience can still work in your favor.

Price for the market you have now, not the one sellers had at a stronger point last year. Double Diamond sellers can still aim near market value, but they should not expect buyers to overlook ambitious pricing.

Focus on getting the launch price right and watch the early response closely. If showings and offers come in quickly, your pricing is likely in line with what buyers will pay. If activity is thin, adjust before the listing goes stale. This market is still rewarding the best listings, but it is exposing wishful pricing faster.

The most important signal in the next monthly update is pending sales. Double Diamond home prices are still holding up better than demand, so the key question is whether buyer activity starts to recover or stays soft.

If pending sales improve, that would support firmer pricing and a more competitive market. If they stay weak, this will remain a selective market where realistic pricing matters more than seller confidence.