Buyers are getting concessions again. Here’s how to ask.
The market has shifted. Inventory is up, homes are sitting longer, and buyers who come prepared are walking away with better deals than anything we’ve seen in a few years. Here’s what the numbers show.
WHAT THE DATA TELLS US
The clearest signal right now: homes going under contract in Bozeman have a median price of $717K. Homes just sitting active? $849K. That’s a 15% gap between what sellers are asking and where the market is actually closing.
By segment:
- Condos between $400K and $700K are selling about 6% below active list prices (55 closed sales, last 6 months)
- Single-family homes in the $500K to $900K range are closing about 6% below what similar homes are listed at today
- South Bozeman / Kagy: active median $1.149M, sold median $1M
- Four Corners: active median $886K, sold median $804K
- NE Bozeman: active median $799K, sold median $710K
If a home has been sitting, there’s usually room to negotiate.
FOUR THINGS YOU CAN ASK FOR
- Inspection credits – Take the credit at closing rather than asking the seller to make repairs. You control where the money goes.
- Rate buydowns – Rates are sitting at 6.1 to 6.3%. A seller-paid 2-1 buydown on a $700K loan reduces your payment by around $700/month in year one. Many sellers prefer this because it keeps their recorded sale price intact.
- Closing cost contributions – Closing costs on a financed Bozeman purchase typically run $12,000 to $20,000. Asking a seller to cover part of that is a reasonable and increasingly common request, especially on homes that have already had a price reduction.
- Price reductions – The comps support it in most neighborhoods right now. Come in with data, not a number you pulled out of thin air.
HOW TO ASK
Start with the data. What have similar homes actually sold for? How long has this one been sitting? Did it already take a price cut? Those answers shape what’s reasonable to ask for.
It also helps to understand the seller’s situation. Someone who needs to close by a certain date negotiates differently than someone who listed on a whim and isn’t in a hurry. Your agent should know the difference before you write anything.
The other thing worth remembering: you don’t have to stack every concession into one offer. Sometimes asking for one thing well is more effective than asking for everything at once.
We’re happy to walk through what makes sense for any specific property you’re looking at.
Reach out today!
