Signs of a Market Shift: What Appraisers Watch

Everyone asks "How is the market?" Most agents say "Great!" because they are optimistic salespeople. Appraisers are historians and statisticians. We look at the subtle shifts.

The Canary in the Coal Mine

We watch Active vs. Pending ratios. When we see more homes sitting Active than going Pending, pricing power shifts to buyers.

We also look at Concessions. Are sellers paying $10k for rate buydowns? That is effectively a price drop that doesn't show up in the "Sold Price" headline number. But we adjust for it.

Right now, the data suggests a normalization—returning to a balanced market rather than the frenzied appreciation of recent years.