10/08/2026
What can a slower housing market actually buy you in Michigan? 👀
More negotiating power, not necessarily falling prices.
Zillow’s September 2026 Market Report, published October 6, shows newly pending sales down 8.5% year over year. Price cuts rose to 27.4%, homes took a median 29 days to go pending, and active inventory increased 2.5%.
Detroit is showing the same shift:
• Typical home value: $264,838, up 1.5%
• Inventory: up 6.6%
• Sales: down 7.7%
That slower pace can give a prepared buyer more room to put better terms in writing, such as:
• Longer inspection and appraisal windows
• Repair requests
• Seller-paid closing cost credits
• A rate buydown request
• A longer closing timeline
• Less pressure to waive contingencies
Here’s the honest limit: negotiating leverage does not fix elevated interest rates. Sellers with older, low-rate mortgages may still avoid deep discounts. That’s why values look mostly flat, not like they’re dropping sharply.
The SIMPLE, SMART, SAVVY play is to negotiate the terms and structure of the loan, not simply wait for prices to fall.
Want to talk through your options? Message Sean or call (586) 630-2682.
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Sean Perry | NMLS #2113869
Michigan Mortgage Pro | NMLS #2566773
Source: Zillow September 2026 Market Report, published October 6, 2026.