{"id":1287,"date":"2026-07-08T17:56:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T21:56:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.exponentialrealty.ca\/blog\/?p=1287"},"modified":"2026-07-08T17:56:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T21:56:05","slug":"july-2026-real-estate-stats-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.exponentialrealty.ca\/blog\/july-2026-real-estate-stats-comments\/","title":{"rendered":"July 2026 Real Estate stats\/comments"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It\u2019s a Buyer\u2019s Market\u2014So How Much Can You Knock Off the Asking Price?<\/b><\/p>\n

More negotiating power doesn\u2019t mean market value disappears.<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n

I get asked this question all the time:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a buyer\u2019s market. How much can we knock off the asking price?\u201d<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a fair question. Buyers today generally have more listings to choose from, more time to make decisions, and better negotiating power than they did in a hot seller\u2019s market.<\/p>\n

But there is one important misconception:<\/p>\n

A buyer\u2019s market does not mean every property can be bought at a huge discount.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

The Asking Price Is Not Always the Market Value<\/b><\/p>\n

When buyers see a property listed for $1 million, it\u2019s natural to use that number as the starting point for negotiation.<\/p>\n

Can we offer $950,000?<\/p>\n

$900,000?<\/p>\n

Maybe even lower?<\/p>\n

But before deciding how much to offer, there is a much more important question:<\/p>\n

What is the property actually worth in today\u2019s market?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

In real estate, the asking price is sometimes simply part of the marketing strategy.<\/p>\n

For example, after reviewing recent comparable sales, the property\u2019s condition, location, and current market conditions, a home may have a reasonable market value of around $1 million.<\/p>\n

The seller may choose to list it at $899,000 to attract more buyers, generate showing activity, and potentially create competition.<\/p>\n

That does not mean the property is suddenly worth $899,000.<\/p>\n

And it certainly does not mean that because the market is slower, the seller will now accept $500,000.<\/p>\n

The opposite can also be true.<\/p>\n

A property listed at $1.2 million may only be worth around $1.05 million. The seller may have higher expectations, be testing the market, or simply be overpriced.<\/p>\n

The asking price is a number chosen by the seller and the listing Realtor. Market value is determined by what informed buyers are willing to pay and sellers are willing to accept in the current market.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Those are not always the same thing.<\/p>\n

A Slower Market Still Has a Market Value<\/b><\/p>\n

In a slower market, buyers usually have more leverage.<\/p>\n

There may be fewer competing offers. Properties may take longer to sell. Buyers may have more time to complete due diligence, include conditions, and negotiate on price.<\/p>\n

But a slower market does not mean properties suddenly lose all relative value.<\/p>\n

A desirable home in a good location is still compared with other similar homes.<\/p>\n

A well-priced property can still attract multiple buyers.<\/p>\n

A seller without financial pressure may simply decide not to sell if the offers are significantly below market value.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, the result of a slow market is not a dramatically lower sale price.<\/p>\n

It is simply\u00a0no transaction at all.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

The buyer is unwilling to pay what the seller wants.<\/p>\n

The seller is unwilling to accept what the buyer is offering.<\/p>\n

So the property sits on the market.<\/p>\n

So How Much Can You Actually Knock Off the Asking Price?<\/b><\/p>\n

The answer is:\u00a0it depends on what the property is worth\u2014not simply what the seller is asking.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Before advising a buyer on an offer strategy, an experienced Realtor should look at:<\/p>\n