More home sellers losing their negotiating clout

Power dynamic shifts amid uncertainty in the economy. Many shoppers priced out.

- By ALEX VEIGA

DOUG MCCORMICK, 80, says he and his wife may instead rent out their home for sale near Evergreen, Colo.

Skyrocketing housing values and a shortage of homes on the market gave homeowners the upper hand for years when it came time to sell. That’s no longer a given.

Across the country, it’s getting tougher for sellers to drive a hard bargain. A dearth of home shoppers who can afford to buy and uncertainty about the outlook for the economy, jobs and mortgage rates is putting pressure on sellers to give ground at the negotiating table.

In some markets, mainly in the South and West, homeowners who are eager to sell are more likely to give buyers a better deal. This could include a lower price, upfront money to nudge down the buyer’s mortgage rate, and funds for closing costs and any repairs or improvements that may pop up after the home inspection.

The reasons: Would-be buyers balk at what they view as unreasonable asking prices, while at the same time new construction is giving buyers more options and putting pressure on sellers to make their homes more appealing.

As a result, while the national median home listing price rose slightly in July, some metro areas saw a decline, signaling a reversal in the power dynamic between buyers and sellers. It’s rare to see the type of eye-popping bidding wars that exploded home values by roughly 50% nationally earlier this decade. Low-ball offers are more common.

Despite this hopeful trend, the housing market remains mired in a slump. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes are running about 13% below where they were through the first seven months of last year, when they sank to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.