December 18, 2025
Every year, right about now, the same advice starts circulating:
“Just wait until spring.”
It sounds safe. Familiar. Almost responsible.
And sometimes, it is the right move.
But far too often, it’s not strategy.
It’s default thinking.
Spring earned its reputation honestly.
More buyers enter the market. More sellers list their homes. Weather improves. Schedules open up.
Media outlets love spring because activity spikes are easy to explain and easy to chart. More dots on a graph look like momentum.
But more activity doesn’t automatically mean better outcomes.
Sometimes it just means more noise.
When everyone waits for the same season, they all show up at once.
More competition.
More buyers bidding on the same homes.
More listings competing for attention.
More pressure to move quickly and compromise.
Spring is louder.
Loud doesn’t always mean advantageous.
Quieter market windows don’t mean inactive markets.
They mean fewer distractions.
Smart buyers often have more room to negotiate on price, terms, repairs, and concessions when competition thins out. Sellers who list strategically can stand out instead of getting lost.
Less urgency creates more clarity.
The biggest mistake consumers make is assuming timing is about dates.
It’s not.
Timing is about leverage.
Leverage changes based on:
None of that shows up on a calendar.
Media advice has to be broad.
Agent advice can be specific.
An experienced agent helps you see when waiting helps and when it costs.
At United Real Estate Queen City, our agents don’t default to seasons. We watch behavior. We track absorption. We see how buyers and sellers respond week by week.
That’s how timing becomes strategic instead of habitual.
Timing isn’t about the calendar.
It’s about leverage.
And leverage favors the people who understand the market they’re in, not the season everyone else is waiting for.
~Big Ern
About the Author
Ernie “Big Ern” Becker is a Broker, Owner of United Real Estate Queen City, and a Master Sales & Negotiation Strategist (MSTC) serving Charlotte, NC and Fort Mill, SC. He helps buyers, sellers, and real estate investors make smart moves with strategy-first guidance and negotiation-forward execution.
Work with Ernie: Contact Big Ern Today!
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Based on information submitted to the MLS GRID as of Tuesday, February 3, 2026. All data is obtained from various sources and may not have been verified by broker or MLS GRID. Supplied Open House Information is subject to change without notice. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.
This content last updated on Tuesday, February 03, 2026 6:00 PM from CanopyMLS
This content last updated on Tuesday, February 03, 2026 8:00 PM from ConsolidatedMLS
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